11 things we’ve learned this week

1. Thanks Jason, there's hope for us all!   

After been out of full time training and becoming a dad, Jason Kenny was honest enough to admit that he finished 50th out of 54 riders when he turned up to a local Cyclocross race in the North West back in October. We'll take it as a positive and assume all of us can rapidly improve if we really feel like it!  
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2. Dick pounding in on the Froome controversy is ill-timed at best

Dick Pound, the former president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), says that Chris Froome could still face sanctions for his adverse analytical finding for Salbutamol even if the UCI decides not to impose a ban. Pound – who was also chairman of the recent Wada independent commission report into doping in Russian sport – has also expressed scepticism at the number of “heroic asthmatics” in cycling. Inappropriate? Yes. Facts straight? Who knows. But We think Mr. Pound should give cycling's authorities to conduct a fair proceeding before wading in perhaps. 
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3. Road rage rages on

A recent survey of UK cyclists has revealed that 56 per cent have been victims of road rage, while 30 per cent say that they’re on the receiving end on a regular basis. Surprising? Hmmm...
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4. Portillo losing his seat again? Well I never...

Michael Portillo swapped railway tracks for a track bike in an episode of the BBC TV series Great British Railway Journeys - and had a bit of a moment as he lost balance and came crashing back to earth, though luckily for him, a coach helped break his fall. Those shoes? Deary me... 
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5. That's a lot of miles without actually going anywhere 

Zwift, the virtual cycling platform, says that its users – whom it collectively refers to as ‘Zwifters’ – rode almost 200 billion kilometres in aggregate last year. In all, 196,582,313 kilometres (122,140,586 miles) were logged on Zwift during 2017, and users around the world racked up an aggregate ascent of nearly 6 billion feet, or around 1.8 billion metres. Although there are always those piping up with the "just go outside" comments, it's safe to say Zwift and indoor training is here to stay for the foreseeable. 
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6. More of this, please

Campaigners who are fighting to create what would be Europe’s longest cycling tunnel on a disused railway line in West Yorkshire are stepping up their efforts as we head into the New Year to prevent it being permanently closed this summer by the Department for Transport (DfT). The Queensbury Tunnel Society says that the tunnel could be converted to a bike route for 2.8 million, slightly less than the £3 million the DfT plans to spend on filling in parts of the tunnel with concrete to make it impassable, the tunnel could be converted to a bike route. As a road.cc commenter mentioned the job wouldn't be complete until cycling infrastructure around it was also improved, but it's a step in the right direction of making practical use of some of Britain's sadly disused old railway lines. 
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7. Ouch (very nearly), that is all...

Our Thursday live blog featured the wince-inducing footage of a BMXer very nearly impaling himself on a fence after attempting to land a front flip. Somehow, he emerged relatively unscathed.  
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8. Not fine, according to Vine  

And we'd have to agree, as the broadcaster captured this footage of a motorcycle rider whizzing past on a cycle path and promptly tweeted it. The BBC presenter has a streak when it comes to capturing bad behaviour on the roads (or in this case paths), including one that earlier this year helped secure the conviction of a motorist following a road rage incident.
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9. A satisfying moment of karma

Footage showing a bike cop in Japan chasing after a Lamborghini Huracan to issue the driver a ticket has gone viral since being posted to YouTube last month. We wouldn't argue with this hardy cop on two wheels, who shows us how it's done. 
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10. Is this too much of a tall order? Even so, we're in awe

A 19-year-old from India who studies at Bournemouth University will set off from Perth, Western Australia, in June next year with the aim of breaking the Guinness World Record for the fastest circumnavigation of the world by a female cyclist. Vedangi Kulkarni is targeting the record of 144 days set in 2014 by Italian national Paola Gianotti, and aims to complete her 29,000-kilometre journey in 130 days. It sounds mind-boggling, but we wish Vedangi the best of luck. 
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11. We hope this depressing appeal has a happy ending

A Nottingham woman has appealed for the return of her 88-year-old father’s vintage bike, which was taken from a garden shed on December 23 or 24. Elizabeth Lovatt said her father had owned the "faithful friend" since 1949, riding more than 300,000 miles on it. We hope the thief has a moment of humility - if you can help in any way Lovatt is still looking for help via her Facebook appeal. 
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