"Please be sound and don't block cycle lanes," council politely asks drivers... only to be met with barrage of "whataboutery" and anti-cycling comments; London thief vs angle grinder-proof lock = bike stripped of everything + more on the live blog

If the aim of the game yesterday at Dublin City Council was to incense as many Twitter followers as possible, then putting up a polite message about not blocking cycle lanes was a depressingly predictable way to do it. Accompanying the picture below (showing a delivery van blocking one of the Irish capital's cycle routes), the council wrote: "Please be sound and do not block cycle lanes. Blocking cycle lanes forces older and more vulnerable cyclists out into moving traffic. Thank you." 

At the more useful end of the 100 frothing replies were the people asking genuine policy questions, raising the point that the council possibly needs to install more loading bays to enable delivery drivers more legal places to stop. Others were more sceptical about whether people would actually use the extra loading bays or just continue to prefer to stop wherever suits them.

Elsewhere in the replies it was a bumper edition of anti-cycling bingo, one commenter telling the council and cyclists to "stop whinging" and "if you can't stop, check traffic and move past an obstacle then you are a danger on the road. People and businesses need stuff delivered including bikes and Lycra."

I would argue replying with that is more whingy than a council politely asking its residents to not commit a dangerous behaviour, but then again I don't want to be accused of whinging so will move swiftly on. Right, roll the anti-cycling bingo...

"Problems can also arise for people, including older and more vulnerable ones, when others ride bicycles on footpaths and in pedestrian areas."

"Bicycle lanes shouldn’t be there if cyclists don't adhere to the lights"

"Cycle lanes are not wanted."

"What about cyclists blocking the road while the lane next to it is empty?"

"Another cycle lane not being used and blocking real people done (sic) business that keeps the country going. Reallocate the road space to cars and trucks for heaven's sake."

"How about stopping cyclists using the car lanes where cycle lanes are available or footpaths for that matter."

Told you it was a fun one. We'll finish by pointing out the council ended up getting it on two fronts, plenty of people who agree with their message questioning if the priority should instead be enforcement, traffic wardens and tickets... not just cheerful social media posts. 

"Increase fines and start towing away cars parking illegally," one person suggested, another asking the council: "Maybe enforce the law?" Tough day for whoever runs their social media accounts...

Two from two for Wiebes.

Crosswinds blew the race apart, a trio of UAE Team ADQ riders aboard their new Colnago Y1Rs making up 60 per cent of the front group that put 1:16 into the peloton by the finish. Elisa Longo Borghini was one of them. Irish rider Lara Gillespie another and continuing her impressive week, following up yesterday's ninth with a third today. Wiebes, unsurprisingly, was the fastest at the finish and took her second stage win in as many days. 

Colnago will be happy, the Y1Rs getting its first outing, the UAE Team ADQ riders' crosswind-taming ride a solid advert for the bike's "defy the wind" marketing tag.

Here's the map confirming the new pre-Arenberg route Paris-Roubaix will follow this year, that short detour being used to reduce riders' speeds before hitting the notoriously brutal cobbled sector and removing any need for the controversial 'chicane' that debuted at last year's edition.

> Paris-Roubaix organisers drop controversial 'chicane' at Arenberg Forest entrance for 2025 race – replacing it with "small detour" to "slow down the riders in a more fluid manner"

What do we reckon? Is it going to improve safety and offer a better solution to the chicane? Something tells me the fight for that left turn off the D313 is going to be pretty hectic.