Welcome to your Tuesday live blog, with Jack Sexty, Simon MacMichael and the rest of the team.
26/03/2019, 17:35
Green Party MP takes aim at new Team Sky owner over pollution
Last week, Friends of the Earth accused Ineos and its owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe of "greenwashing" after it was confirmed the petrochemicals firm was buying Team Sky's management company from Sky and 21st Century Fox with effect from 1 May.
Today, its Caroline Lucas, the Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion who is taking aim at the Brexit-backing billionaire, referencing Team Sky in a tweet that links to a Greenpeace article claiming that Ineos will close a plant in Middlesbrough if forced to comply with EU anti-pollution laws.
Billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe can buy Team Sky, sponsor the Americas cup, and fund fracking.
But he 'cannot justify' upgrading his chemical plants so they don't pollute our air and water.
What a guy.https://t.co/rp9nWp2ZXt
— Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) March 25, 2019
Once secretive, Ratcliffe's backing of teams in yachting and cycling and an attempt to buy Chelsea FC last year, as well as his status as Britain's richest man, have seen the raising of both his and the company's profiles.
Anti-fracking campaigners are reportedly planning to protest against Ineos when the team debuts under its name at May's Tour de Yorkshire - a shape of things to come once Geraint Thomas, Chris Froome and their team mates sport the company's logo on their jerseys?
26/03/2019, 17:27
Balance bike toddlers - on a velodrome track!
Here's a terrific video from Japan - toddlers riding the track at the Izu Velodrome on their balance bikes.
According to Google Translate, the text says (roughly) "The senior team is great!"
年長部門すごいですね！！ pic.twitter.com/pE7hFsBn7w
— izu velodrome (@Izu_Velodrome) March 24, 2019
26/03/2019, 17:02
Froome crashes and loses 14 minutes in Catalunya
With so many pinch points on today's stage, it was inevitable that there would be a few crashes but the hardest hit was Chris Froome who lost out on any potential GC hopes after a nasty crash inside the final 40km. He eventually rolled in with a small group 14 minutes down, though that should give him some freedom to go for a stage win should he recover sufficiently.
26/03/2019, 13:39
Jeremy Vine posts video to Twitter of getting cut up by cabbie - but replies say he should have held back
Broadcaster and cyclist Jeremy Vine has posted another video to Twitter, asking this time whether he "should mind" getting cut up by a taxi in the City of London.
But the general view of people replying on the social network is that with the lights changing and the taxi starting to pull away at a junction where all traffic has to turn left from Newgate Street into King Edward Street, he should have anticipated what was going to happen and held back, rather than put himself in harm's way.
What do you think?
Should I mind about this?
The other cyclist minded on my behalf. pic.twitter.com/U5zoKvfmaW— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) March 26, 2019
26/03/2019, 13:32
Relive THAT stage from last year's Giro
BLOWING UP THE GIRO from Science in Sport on Vimeo.
Science in Sport have released a video charting Chris Froome's legendary solo stage victory on the Colle delle Finestre on his way to Giro victory last year. Definitely worth 6 and a bit minutes of your lunchbreak...
26/03/2019, 13:23
Ekoi launch Stripe clothing collection
The French brand's new Stripe collection includes jerseys in blue, red, white and black colours, and also bib shorts with the stripe pattern in a choice of the same four colours on the leg grippers so you can go matchy matchy. All are available now on Ekoi's website, with the jersey and matching shorts bundle on offer for £128.60.
26/03/2019, 13:01
Video: Yorkshire Worlds course suits Sagan, says ex-team mate after recce
Michael Kolar, who rode alongside Peter Sagan at Bora-Hansgrohe until he retired last year, has been out on a recce of the course of the men's road race at September's UCI Road World Championships - and says it will suit his fellow Slovakian, who won the rainbow jersey three times in a row from 2015-17. Here's the video from Yorkshire 2019.
"Absolutely loved the course, amazing landscape... I think it'll be for the classics type rider, exactly to suit @petosagan in my eyes"@BoraHansgrohe's @MichaelKolar_ came to Yorkshire to take a closer look at the parcours for @yorkshire2019. Watch how he got on #Yorkshire2019pic.twitter.com/wtVUlnyPAy
— Yorkshire 2019 (@Yorkshire2019) March 26, 2019
26/03/2019, 12:53
26/03/2019, 11:53
German government digs in over "sexist" cycle helmet ad
The German government says it "stands by" an advertising campaign aimed at encouraging young people to wear cycle helmets but which has been accused of sexism.
As we reported on Sunday, an image in the campaign, shot by the acclaimed British fashion photographer Rankin, had come under criticism on social media since it showed a model wearing just a cycle helmet and a bra.
Other pictures in the initiative - which are accompanied by the slogan, "Looks like shit. But saves my life." have also attracted negative comments online.
But according to the Associated Press, transport ministry spokeswoman Transport Ministry spokeswoman Svenja Friedrich said yesterday that the whole point of the campaign was to grab attention, and she also highlighted that male models were involved.
“We can absolutely understand the criticism from various sides, but we still stand by the images,” she added.
26/03/2019, 08:32
Thomas de Gendt throws down huge power in impressive Volta a Catalunya opening stage victory
The Belgian Lotto-Soudal rider showed us what it takes to capture such an impressive victory via his Strava account, with a weighted average power of 352 watts over the 164km stage with over 3,000m of elevation. De Gendt weights 72kg.
De Gendt broke away with about 60km to go and more than held on for the victory, now enjoying a three minute lead over his nearest rival. What's more impressive is that De Gendt's ride shows that the peloton were tanking it from the start in places, with plenty of his early segments in the 400 to 500 watt range.
The second stage is slightly longer and could play into the hands of sprinters, although there are a couple of tricky climbs on the way. After yesterday's effort, it will be mighty impressive if De Gendt manages to keep his overall lead.
26/03/2019, 08:28
Milan-San Remo from the EF Education First Team
The longest day on our race schedule took us from the bustling streets of Milan to the sunny coastal town of Sanremo. Along the way, #PinkArgyle animated #MilanoSanremo.
The latest episode of #EFGoneRacing brings you along on the first Monument of the season Watch now. pic.twitter.com/R7Bs0dAB0L
— EF Education First Pro Cycling (@EFprocycling) March 26, 2019
In association with their kit sponsor Rapha, the team have produced this snazzy video to chart their 2019 Milan-San Remo journey...
26/03/2019, 07:53
Unbaa-lievable
Here's a lamb confusing a bike tyre for its mum to start your day...