In a twist worthy of a daytime soap, it seems that the BBC has finally discovered that cyclists with cameras aren’t actually “vigilantes” or “grassing snitches”, but rather witnesses and victims at the same time, helping police crack down on reckless drivers. Shocking, really.
You might remember back in October when the Beeb ran a piece on cyclist Tim on Two Wheels and decided to brand him a “vigilante cyclist”, only to be swiftly corrected by everyone, from road.cc readers to former West Midlands cycling and walking commissioner Adam Tranter.
Tranter pointed out that “a vigilante is someone who tries to punish without law enforcement,” while “a witness is just that.” Tim himself was left “disappointed” at the Beeb’s “journalistic cliché.”
Fast forward to this week, and they’re praising camera cyclists and the crucial role they play in getting dangerous drivers off the road. Funny how a bit of good ol’ reader backlash can do that.
BBC Look North on W Yorkshire Police OpSnap taking further action against drivers who close pass cyclists. In the last year action was taken against 2,547 drivers who either paid for a retraining course or received a fixed penalty fine or a court summons. pic.twitter.com/b8yC4pzxaW
— Bikery (@Bikery1966) June 9, 2025
Anyway, onto the actual stats. West Yorkshire Police’s Operation Snap has been busy. In the last 12 months alone, the force received a staggering 3,500 reports of driving offences against cyclists. Even more impressive — or depressing, depending on your mood — 71 per cent of these cases led to action. That’s over 2,500 drivers either in court, paying fines, or taking remedial driving courses.
For Huddersfield’s Frankie Leveton, the constant tension is just part of the deal. “It’s very rare that I go out on a bike ride and don’t have a close pass or a quite scary experience,” she told the BBC.
And after nearly 70 video submissions to police this year alone, she’s pretty much become her own one-woman traffic enforcement unit, complete with front and back cameras to catch every near miss. “It doesn’t stop the close passes,” Frankie admits, “but it’s just a bit of a comfort blanket that yes, that was terrifying, but I’ve been empowered to be able to do something about it.”
Judith Brough, who rides for her mental health, said: “Close passes are really common,” she says, “but I think scariest still is when you have close passes and, on top of that, someone is rolling down their window and shouting inappropriate language to you.”
Reactions have been flooding in — some supportive, some bitterly resigned. Popular bike camera company Cycliq commented on Twitter: “Great to see such positive action from Yorkshire Police with OpSnap!”
Cyclists like Justin hoped it might finally knock some sense into drivers: “Let’s hope that after this, some drivers in West Yorkshire will be persuaded to behave themselves if only because of avoiding legal action being taken. I do hope that the two ladies don’t give up cycling.”
Meanwhile, Bournemouth Liberal Democrat councillor and cycling advocate Ade Chapmanlaw put it as it is: “It’s the only recourse we have.”
On Facebook, John Stoddard noted: “Many comments on posts like this end up being hateful towards cyclists, as if they shouldn’t exist. They have a right to use the road, the fact they don’t pay vehicle excise duty shouldn't have anything to do with it, they don't have an engine or degrade tarmac like a heavy car or van.”
Pam Clulow added: “It seems to have become fashionable to berate cyclists, female and male. It is easy, isn’t it? Hide behind a ton of metal, shout abuse and speed off, so brave.”
And while West Yorkshire’s 3,500 submissions and 71 per cent prosecution rate is impressive, it’s not just them. Avon and Somerset Police have also seen a massive surge in third-party reporting. In 2024 alone, they received 8,595 video submissions, mostly from cyclists, resulting in over 2,500 drivers getting notices of intended prosecution.
Between 2021 and 2024, cyclists in Avon and Somerset alone submitted nearly 12,000 clips of drivers behaving badly. Chief Inspector Rob Cheeseman said the force was having to “adapt” to the flood of footage, noting that the community “is speaking really loudly” about road safety — though whether drivers are listening is another question...
Warner Bros. Discovery’s decision to shut down Eurosport earlier this year and push cycling coverage behind TNT Sports’ £30.99-a-month paywall in January was already a major blow for fans. Now, with the company confirming that it will split in two by 2026, the outlook for cycling in the UK and Ireland has become even more uncertain.
The split will see Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming and content businesses — like HBO Max and Warner Bros. studios — hived off into a separate company led by CEO David Zaslav. The other company, dubbed Global Networks, will house TNT Sports and other legacy cable channels, including the recently integrated Discovery+.
> “This is bigger than pro cycling”: Fan petitions government to save free-to-air Tour de France coverage in UK, condemning paywall as “massive missed opportunity” to boost cycling numbers and combat congestion
While it’s too early to know exactly how TNT Sports will be managed in the future, Warner Bros. Discovery CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels made it clear that decisions about licensing live sports—like the NCAA’s March Madness, the French Open and, crucially for cycling fans, events like the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France—will be left to Global Networks. In the short term, these events will continue to appear on Max in the US and Discovery+ in Europe, but there’s no guarantee beyond that.
This uncertainty is especially worrying for UK and Irish cycling fans. Earlier this year, Eurosport’s shutdown forced them to pay a hefty £371.88 annual subscription to watch top races like the Tour de France and Paris-Roubaix.
The closure also sparked fury among fans, who accused TNT Sports of exploiting its “monopoly” over cycling coverage and slammed the lack of free-to-air options. Lidl-Trek rider Tao Geoghegan Hart called it a “huge shame” and warned that it threatened to cut off cycling’s loyal UK following.
The new split raises even more questions about whether TNT Sports can continue to afford expensive sports rights, especially as the majority of its deals—like those for MLB, the NHL and the College Football Playoff—expire in the next three years. Awful Announcing pointed out that with no big-name broadcast or streaming partner, TNT Sports risks being left out in the cold when it comes to renewing those contracts.
For now, TNT Sports insists it plans to offer daily free-to-air highlights on Quest and hopes to grow the sport by showing races alongside other big events like Premier League football. But with the end of ITV’s free-to-air Tour de France coverage looming in 2026, I can’t say it’s a bad idea to be sceptical.
In a media landscape increasingly dominated by streaming giants and consolidation, the future of professional cycling coverage — already deemed a luxury with the £30.99/month price tag — now hangs in the balance. Just hope they don’t come calling for more bucks.
It’s something special when you see a young lad not just get his first WorldTour win from the breakaway with an awe-inspiring solo ride, but also watch as the realisation of donning the yellow jersey of one of the biggest stage races in the world washes over him.
The day’s 207.2-kilometre route from Brioude to Charantonnay featured rolling hills and five categorised climbs, including an early Category 2 Côte de la Barbate and four lesser Category 3 and 4 ascents under sunny skies and temperatures peaking at 30 degrees Celsius.
A 13-rider break formed soon after the Barbate, with Movistar’s Iván Romeo, Mathieu van der Poel and Groupama-FDJ’s Brieuc Rolland among those gaining up to two minutes on the peloton. Their advantage hovered around one minute and forty-six seconds with 42 kilometres to go as teams including UAE Team Emirates and Visma-Lease a Bike organised the chase.
On the final Category 3 Côte du Château Jaune, Ineos-Grenadiers’ Julien Bernard launched a brief move, but it was Romeo who struck effectively with fewer than eight kilometres remaining. The 21-year-old powered clear, opened a gap of eighteen seconds on the chase and held on to take his first WorldTour win.
XDS-Astana’s Harold Tejada and Intermarché-Wanty’s Louis Barré completed the podium, with Romeo also inheriting the yellow jersey, leading Barré by 17 seconds in the general classification.
The 21-year-old, who’s had a storming 2025 season — winning the youth classification at the UAE Tour in February, said: “I can’t believe I have won the stage. It was one of the toughest days of my life and the action in the breakaway was very tough.”
The UK government has pledged £32 million to improve road surfaces and expand cycling infrastructure across the North East and Yorkshire. During a visit to Saltburn-by-the-Sea last week, Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood highlighted the funding’s role in supporting Stage 2 of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women and in addressing barriers faced by female cyclists.
Of the total, £20 million will be used to resurface highways—tackling potholes that deter cycling—while almost £13 million will fund new cycle lanes and pavements. Cycling UK research shows 58 per cent of women limit their cycling journeys due to safety concerns, and 36 per cent cite poor road conditions as a key barrier.
The measures form part of a wider £291 million national active-travel scheme projected to enable 30 million extra walking or cycling trips annually, reduce sick days by 43,000 and contribute an estimated £1.4 billion to the economy. They follow a broader £15.6 billion commitment to local transport and a £1.6 billion road-resurfacing programme enough to fill around 7 million potholes.
“Safer roads mean safer spaces to cycle,” Greenwood said. “By investing in better roads, we’re encouraging more women and girls to hop on a bike, easing pressure on the NHS and building healthier communities.”
RAC policy officer Rod Dennis urged councils to “use this cash as effectively as possible,” while IAM RoadSmart’s Nicholas Lyes welcomed the focus on “not just smoother surfaces but safer infrastructure.”
As two-time Roland Garros champion and tennis’ Big Three (Four?) wrapped into one player, Carlos Alcaraz would say: “Cabeza, corazón y cojones (de acero).”
Tadej Pogačar, Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenpoel, and Mathieu van der Poel, 2025 Critérium du Dauphiné, by ASO
A comment by former Dutch pro and analyst Stef Clement has sparked plenty of chatter after he suggested that Jonas Vingegaard’s family life could be a disadvantage compared to his childless Grand Tour rivals.
Speaking to Helden Magazine, Clement said, “He’s competing against Pogačar, who seems to have a completely different attitude to life. It can hardly be a coincidence that the wonderkids of the current peloton — Pogačar, Mathieu van der Poel, and Remco Evenepoel — are all childless.”
According to Clement, this difference in family responsibilities means these three riders can focus purely on cycling in a way that’s “just a little more complete.” He said, “I get the sense that they ride with a greater sense of freedom, they find it easier to throw themselves into a race, and they seem able to focus entirely on cycling in a way that’s just a little more complete.”
> “A bike race is complete madness”: David Millar on why cycling is “inherently dangerous”
The contrast between Vingegaard and his rivals’ lifestyles has already been in the spotlight this season. The Dane himself said in March that he wouldn’t let his children take up cycling, calling the sport “just too dangerous” after his horror crash at the 2024 Tour of the Basque Country.
Reflecting on his own perspective, Vingegaard told Het Nieuwsblad that too many riders race “as if there are no brakes on a bike,” and that the modern peloton often lacks respect. “If my daughter or son asks that question — daddy, can we race? — the answer is ‘no’,” he said.
Clement’s colleague Karsten Kroon added to the debate, suggesting that Vingegaard might have the legs to race more often, but not the mental ease that comes with Pogačar’s relaxed, assertive attitude: “Vingegaard has previously admitted he struggles with the pressure he feels. That’s something Pogačar doesn’t seem fazed by in the slightest. He just doesn’t care – he’s smiling before the start, during the race, and afterwards.”
Specialized Bicycle Components has issued a recall of around 11,000 Globe Haul ST and LT e-bikes in the US after discovering that the lower portion of the telescopic seatpost can break when fully extended, posing a serious safety risk.
The company’s statement, signed by Senior Director of Quality & Test Engineering Mark Schroeder, urges riders to “stop riding your bicycle immediately” if their bike has the affected post. “We are working with the U.S. CPSC to obtain the required approvals to provide you with a solution,” the statement says.
> Dutch cargo bike company Babboe was “well-aware” of its sale of faulty frames, finds investigation
The issue affects bikes sold from January 2023 to March 2025, priced between $2,500 and $3,500. There have been 13 reported incidents so far, including two minor injuries.
Owners can identify the faulty seatposts by removing them and checking for 15 height indicator markings — those are fine. If not, or if you’re unsure, Specialized says stop riding and head to your nearest authorised retailer for a replacement seatpost made from a different material.
First, it was South African pro Willie Smit accusing cyclists of adopting flipping and flopping tendencies from football players, and now one might ask, “Have they been watching a bit too much rugby perhaps?”
That wasn’t all, though — there was, of course, someone commenting under the post: “Cyclists these days are so weak... this is nothing.”
Another day, another “irregular sprint” relegation — and another round of raised eyebrows across the cycling world. The finish from yesterday’s stage two of the Critérium du Dauphiné has plenty of fans and ex-pros calling out the UCI’s race jury for penalising Groupama-FDJ’s Paul Penhoët, who was bumped from fifth to 116th place and shown a yellow card.
The sprint into Issoire was a straightforward display of power for Lidl-Trek’s Jonathan Milan, who was delivered to the line perfectly by his teammates. But behind Milan’s clean run to victory, it was chaos: every sprinter in the bunch wanted his wheel. In the midst of it all, Penhoët was judged by the UCI to have crossed the line in defending his space.
🚴🏻♂️💨 Un gros sprint et un changement de @MaillotJauneLCL💛
⏪ Revivez le dernier kilomètre de l’étape 2🚴🏻♂️💨 A big sprint and a new overall leader! 💛
⏪ Relive the last kilometre of Stage 2#Dauphinépic.twitter.com/VE9QenyVEV— Critérium du Dauphiné (@dauphine) June 9, 2025
Groupama-FDJ were not happy. “We take note of the decision even if we have difficulty understanding it because he was mainly trying to defend his position,” said team DS Benoît Vaugrenard, who also praised Penhoët’s riding in a stage with 3,000 metres of climbing and a fraught finale. “We’re disappointed because he doesn’t deserve this… but we’ll try to get our revenge tomorrow.”
Penhoët himself didn’t add much publicly, but he admitted that the finale was “a real battle to get on [Milan’s] wheel,” saying: “That’s always the case in the WorldTour. But it’s even more so when there’s a guy who stands out from the crowd like here.”
Fans, however, had no trouble voicing their thoughts. One Twitter user with the account name oldschoolcycling, wrote: “I fail to see a reason why Penhoet should be relegated. Race incident, twice. Just tries to stay upright on the bike. And when you relegate it is more than enough. The yellow card is seriously over-penalisation.”
Johan Bruyneel, the Belgian former pro and ex-DS of U.S. Postal Service, commented: “Once again, the clear proof that those who are judging and calling the penalties don’t have the slightest idea what it’s like riding a bike in a bunch of riders who are racing to win. There are many manoeuvres you just can’t avoid and look much more dangerous than they are in reality.
Tyler Hannay, added: “The guy got sandwiched and had to defend himself, otherwise he’s on the ground and 30 people go down at 60kmph. They should have a common-sense officer in the UCI.”
Penhoët wasn’t the only one to get in trouble — Visma-Lease a Bike’s Per Strand Hagenes and UAE Team Emirates-XRG’s Nils Politt also received yellow cards for “improper conduct,” which in this case involved more shoulder-checks than a rugby scrum.
Just last week at the Tour of Slovenia, Rui Oliveira was also relegated for what the jury called an “irregular sprint”, denying the Portuguese rider what would've been his first-ever win after seven years in the peloton — as fans criticised the UCI and called it the “softest deviation ever”.
Anti-cycle lane campaigners — they come in all shapes and sizes...