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Pidcock film released ahead of Elite CX Worlds debut; Honorary doctorate for ‘Voice of Cycling’ Liggett; Bonkers 1 – bespoke 'Big Bed Bike' on eBay for £100; Bonkers 2 – Cyclists 'have better sex lives'; Fan causes San Juan crash + more on live blog

Welcome to Monday's live blog. Jack Sexty is your blogger-in-chief today, with Simon MacMichael taking over later this evening. ...
UPDATED Tue, Jan 28, 2020 17:26
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SUMMARY

27 January 2020, 20:44
27 January 2020, 20:44
Honorary doctorate for 'Voice of Cycling' Phil Liggett

'Voice of Cycling' Phil Liggett has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of South Australia (UniSA) to recognise “his distinguished contribution to the world of cycling and sports journalism and his special contribution to South Australia, through his support of the Santos Tour Down Under,” a race he has been involved in since it began in 1999.

UniSA vice chancellor Professor David Lloyd said: “As sponsors of Team UniSA in the Tour for the past 20 years, we have come to know the legend that is Phil Liggett.

“Warm, witty and indefatigable, Phil has an encyclopaedic knowledge of cycling and his preparation across his brief is a lesson for every aspiring sports’ journalist.

“His commitment to the Tour Down Under and to promoting this event from its earliest days as a bold experiment, right through to its position today, as a world class opening event to the international professional cycling season, has been phenomenal.

“Phil is the voice of cycling, but he is also one of the finest examples of excellence and professionalism in journalism and we are extremely proud to welcome him to UniSA’s international community of friends and alumni.”

Phil Liggett honorary degree (credit University of South Australia)

Liggett, who has reported on 47 editions of the Tour de France and is a member of the British Cycling Hall of Fame, said: “I have admired the University from the start with the way, as a seat of learning, it embraced the sport and formed a Tour Down Under team to allow young riders to advance their ambitions to become professional riders.”

He described the race as “A tough education for many emerging Australian cyclists who have gone on to take their place among the most famous riders in the World,” adding, “UniSA will always be a special and memorable place for me and my recognition has left me speechless which, I guess, is not good for a commentator.”

27 January 2020, 17:59
Tom Pidcock film released days before Elite Cyclo-cross Worlds debut

Ahead of Tom Pidcock making his Elite Cyclo-cross World Championships debut on Sunday - the 20-year-old from Leeds has already won the rainbow jersey at Junior and Under-23 level - an 18-minute film released today on YouTube charts his career to date.

Including contributions from his parents, with whom the Trinity Racing rider still lives - his bedroom is pretty much wallpapered with past race numbers and other mementoes - charts not only the high points such as last year's victory at Paris-Roubaix Espoirs as well as the lows, notably the crash at the Tour de l'Avenir that cost him the chance to target the under-23 titles at a home World Road Championships in Yorkshire last September.

It's well worth a watch.

27 January 2020, 17:38
Shock, they found beer
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Cheeky refreshment #notsponsored

A post shared by road.cc (@road.cc) on

We sent them to look at shiny bikes and report back. Looks like they got distracted by beers. On a Monday too. Tut tut.

27 January 2020, 17:14
The bike that dreams are made of: The ‘Big Bed Bike’ can be yours for a hundred quid
bed bike - via ebay.PNG

Described as a 'Carnival Circus Bike', this dreamy tall bike is fashioned from a solid double headboard reinforced with square metal tubing, with the rear triangle and front forks originally belonging to a Diamondback BMX. Its owner says it has v-brakes with new Clarks brake levers added, and both head tubes are 'rigid' thanks to an 8mm flat drilled steel reinforcement added to the 'top tube'. The turning circle is described as 'large', but the owner says it's only really noticeable when you're forced to make a U-turn... sounds like you're not going to fall asleep at the wheel at least.

bed bike 2.PNG

If you want to make it your own the eBay listing is here, with the price set at £100 with no lower offers accepted and collection in person from Southampton. We might think about splashing out ourselves, but will sleep on it before making a decision...

27 January 2020, 17:34
Corebike round-up: colour-matching mudguards, a full suspension gravel bike and some general bike porno
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Niner’s MCR 9 RDO full suspension gravel bike seen in the U.K. for the first time. Thoughts?

A post shared by road.cc (@road.cc) on

We were in deepest darkest Northamptonshire today checking out some new bikes and tech at the Core Bike show. We got up close and personal with Niner's full suspension gravel bike... 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Rondo launches the MUTT all-road bike and we’re loving the colour matched mudguards

A post shared by road.cc (@road.cc) on

And were also pretty taken by the blue mudguards on this all-roader from Rondo. Check out our Instagram for more shiny new stuff from the show. 

27 January 2020, 16:58
UCI cancels Tour of Hainan due to deadly Coronavirus
tour of hainan - via tour of hainan website

A statement from the UCI says that the presence of coronavirus left them with no choice but to provisionally cancel the Tour of Hainan, which was scheduled to take place from 23 February - 1st March. The UCI has approved a request of the Chinese National Federation to postpone it to a later date in 2020 subject to availabilities on the calendar, and they also say they're in 'regular contact with the Chinese authorities' about the health situation in the country and its impact on the organisation of future events.

27 January 2020, 15:12
A suspiciously large package: Dutch phone thief caught with 30 handsets stuffed down his cycling shorts
Triban RC 500 cycling shorts - gripper.jpg

In a case that couldn't be more Dutch if it tried, a thief has been caught with 30 mobile phones concealed inside his cycling shorts. 

The 34-year-old pickpocketed the phones at a Sum 41 concert at AFAS Live in Amsterdam last Tuesday, and was intercepted by police before he left the venue with a little more than just the obvious inside his bike shorts. Dutch News report that bizarrely pickpockets seem to be specifically targeting Sum 41 concerts, with 50 handsets reported stolen at the band's show in Antwerp recently.  

The man caught at the Amsterdam gig is due to appear at a fast-tracked court hearing next week. 

27 January 2020, 12:45
Ouch: spectator causes horrendous crash on opening stage of Vuelta a San Juan

The intellectually challenged fan caused the crash about 3.5km from the finish line by touching the handlebars of one of the riders according to a statement from the organisers in Argentina.

The Commissaires Panel decided to give the same time to all riders that were in the bunch when the crash happened on stage 1 yesterday. Although the spectator is very silly indeed, we hope he makes a full recovery... 

27 January 2020, 14:01
Motorist thinks cyclists are to blame for Gloucester air pollution

We give up... 

27 January 2020, 14:06
Crazy Japanese cycling prank

It appears the Japanese have a thing for scaring the hell out of people by making stuff come out of the TV (watch 1998 horror classic Ring if you don't know what I mean), and here's a cycling version for you. 

27 January 2020, 13:33
Movistar happen across a Continental inner tube vending machine in Mallorca

While it doesn't look like it offers as many essentials as the Express Bar we reported on way back in 2013, this could certainly come in handy if you run out of tubes.

27 January 2020, 13:28
Rain getting you down?

Look no further than PodRide, an e-bike with four wheels that is fully covered to protect you from the elements. eBikeTips will be digging deeper and publishing a full story later this afternoon on this curious contraption...

27 January 2020, 11:47
"Don't f**king drink and drive: man who broke his back after being run over by a drink driver is now a competitive mountain biker

There is quite a remarkable story of recovery contained within this Twitter thread posted by BBC journalist Kady Middleton... and it culminated in her ex-boyfriend (the pair are still good friends) Louis finding his passion for bike riding after suffering horrific injuries five years ago at the hands of a drink driver. 

Kady and Louis were out walking after dinner at around 8pm, when they were hit by a pick-up truck on a country lane - the driver had been drinking, and was found hiding in his house with the smashed truck on his driveway shortly after. The pair suffered horrendous injuries and and both had to learn to walk again, while the driver was jailed for two years and 8 months; he only served 11 months. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Exactly 5 years ago to this minute I was lying in a hedge with a broken back leg ribs etc having been mowed down by a drink driver. 5 years on and I have cycled more than the equivalent of a lap of the Earth (40,075 km) and discovered my absolute passion in life - racing bikes! Thank you to everyone for your love and support, particularly during those crazy first few months. Here’s to the next lap! 🌎 🏁 Two top tips: 1. Don’t fucking drink and drive (he had 2.5 pints) 2. Find something you love, and do it as much as you can with whoever you can... while you can! #thankyou #family #friends #nhs #mountainbike #crosscountry #race #mtb #xco #mountainmaniaraceteam

A post shared by Louis Bronstein (@steindriven) on

Five years on and Louis has now found a passion for bike racing, competing for the Mountain Mania Cycles team and having ridden the equivalent of a lap of the earth. Kady finished her post by saying: "I hope by reading this you will pass on the message to your peers, drinking and driving isn’t worth it. If we hadn’t been so lucky, his life could’ve also been ruined. If there’s one thing I hope to do, it’s to raise awareness that drinking and driving is not ok. At any level."

Louis reminded his Instagram followers "don’t f**king drink and drive", and to find something that you love. Chapeau to both! 

27 January 2020, 12:35
'Are cars the new tobacco?' University of Westminster event will discuss how to challenge car domination

'Are Cars the new Tobacco?' will take place on Wednesday 26th February at the University of Westminster, and the expert panel will feature road.cc contributors Laura Laker and Dr Ian Walker. ​​The event description says: 

"Climate breakdown, air and noise pollution, habitat destruction, road injuries, and negative physical and mental health impacts of inactivity can all be linked to car-dominated transport systems.

..."Electric cars sales remain tiny and SUVs sales grow, despite their inefficiency and increased risk to cyclists and pedestrians. Why do cars (and the industry that produces and promotes them) still have such a hold over us? And how should we (academics, policy-makers, the public) challenge this?"

The event will start at 6pm and finish at 8 with a drinks reception after, register your attendance for free here. 

27 January 2020, 12:25
Brother, brother, brother, there's far too many of you riding... there are reportedly 20 pairs of brothers in this year's pro peloton

Cycling commentator José Been has calculated that there are 20 pairs of brothers riding for pro men's teams this year; with the Norwegian development team Uno-X containing no less than three pairs of brothers! The Norwegians appear to have quite a thing for competitive sporting siblings, with Jakub, Henrik and Filip Ingebrigsten all being world class middle distance runners. 

27 January 2020, 11:52
Cyclists have better sex lives: the adult industry concurs
27 January 2020, 11:06
Pilot who left towbar on the runway said he was distracted after near miss between his motorcycle and a cyclist
Southend_Airport_terminal_building_02

A pilot distracted by an earlier near miss when a cyclist allegedly pulled out in front of his motorbike failed to secure a towbar that then fell onto an airport runway, with other planes narrowly avoiding hitting it. 

The BBC reports that the pilot said he had "a fright and a close shave" with the cyclist as he made his way to the airport, and admitted to being distracted during pre-flight checks. He realised he didn't remember removing and stowing the towbar about 30 minutes into the flight and alerted the airport, saying"I cannot believe that I missed it."

The blue towbar fell onto the runway departing from London Southend Airport on 7 August, and would have been difficult to see against the ground surface; although luckily no other planes that landed in the area hit the towbar, the Civil Aviation Authority have now recommended that ground equipment has increased visibility. ​

27 January 2020, 10:59
The Dolly Parton challenge, but cycling

Chris Froome and the famous Tour de France Beefeaters are the latest from the cycling world to participate in this social media meme fad. 

27 January 2020, 10:53
Rohan Dennis does a better Chris Froome than Chris Froome

The Australian took some time to emulate/imitate his new teammate at the Tour Down Under over the weekend... wonder if he's had a go at the famous run up the Ventoux yet? 

27 January 2020, 09:20
A thrilling ride: Cycle Republic survey finds cycle commuters have more sex, socialise more and care more about their wellbeing than non-cyclists
Kris_Howes

A new survey of 1,500 people by Cycle Republic has gathered some hard evidence about cyclists' sex lives and lifestyles to finds out if they are 'superhuman' compared to the rest of society. 

Before we get to the sex bits, some selected other findings were that 60% of cyclists practice mindfulness compared to non-cyclists, which can help to lower blood pressure, improve sleep and remove stress. They also found cyclists were more sociable, with 15% socialising daily compared to 8% of non-cyclists. 17% of cyclists drink more than four cups of coffee a day, while 47% get their five portions of fruit and veg compared to 35% of non-cyclists. 

70% of cyclist said their motivation to cycle was to keep themselves fit and healthy, and 61% of cyclists exercise for over an hour a day compared to 45% for non-cyclists. Environmental impact was also a factor, with 53% of women and 50% of men saying this was motivation to cycle. 

Kris_Howes3

Moving to the bedroom, Cycle Republic found that 15% of cyclists have sex daily and 44% get steamy on a weekly basis compared to 11% and 41% respectively amongst non-cyclists. Apparently (this wouldn't include me), cyclists also think of themselves as more sexually attractive than average, with 46% of cyclists rating themselves more sexually attractive than average compared to just 35% of non-cyclists. 

Strangely, Cycle Republic also asked participants if they would date someone who wore cycling shorts for fashion (google them if you're not familiar) and found 27% would compared to 17% of non-cyclists. 

Do you reckon cyclists are more prone to some extra evening exercise compared to the general population? Maybe ask your friends or relatives over dinner to gather some evidence of your own... 

27 January 2020, 09:13
Well that escalated quickly: cyclist ran off the road by bus driver gets his own back

We're pretty sure this crazy clip is from Mexico as it says 'Mexico City' on the side of the bus, and it begins with a very scary yet sadly familiar scene of a bus close passing a cyclist to the point where they are forced off the road. What happens next is described as 'rough justice' by some in the comments... (violence is never the answer, kids)

Jack Sexty

Jack has been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of the website including tech, news and video, and also contributed to eBikeTips before being named Editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master's degree in print journalism and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it's a long story). 

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15 comments

Avatar
peted76 | 4 years ago
0 likes

Louis, that's my clubmate!

Avatar
ktache | 4 years ago
2 likes

May I just point out that Louis did not "break his back", his back was broken.  Or at the very least - he had his back broken.

Very well done Louis for getting back from it.

Anyone have an idea how a 2 years 8 month sentence can get down to only 11 months?

Avatar
Rome73 replied to ktache | 4 years ago
1 like

Good point. Just as it's not an 'accident' but a 'collision' and a it's a 'near hit' not a 'near miss'. 

Avatar
ktache | 4 years ago
0 likes

Laura, I'm liking the project pedestrian thing.

Avatar
eburtthebike | 4 years ago
3 likes

So, towbars on airfields are now the fault of cyclists, along with buses being late and overcrowded.  Are cyclists literally to blame for everything?

Avatar
OldRidgeback replied to eburtthebike | 4 years ago
2 likes
eburtthebike wrote:

So, towbars on airfields are now the fault of cyclists, along with buses being late and overcrowded.  Are cyclists literally to blame for everything?

...and vehicle exhaust pollution. Don't forget!

Avatar
peted76 | 4 years ago
1 like

I couldn't help but cheer for that Mexican cyclist, that was a horrendous move by the bus driver él es un bandito!

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 4 years ago
0 likes

I always try to get my daily portion of begging.

Avatar
alexuk | 4 years ago
4 likes

Kudos to the Mexican king! - oh how I've dreamed of letting my rage get the better of me and doing the same thing! its so satisfying to see someone actually do it.

Avatar
PRSboy replied to alexuk | 4 years ago
3 likes

Yup.  I imagine we've all dreamed about doing similar when at the next set of lights you catch up with the driver who close-passed you...

In reality I usually run with the disapproving look, or a slow head-shake if I'm feeling brave.

Avatar
Cyclolotl replied to PRSboy | 4 years ago
2 likes

During one particularly ridiculous manoeuver at Borough/London Bridge, where a bus, blocking the box junction against the lights, decided that he would pull forward to make the gap I was riding through small enough that I couldn't get through it...while I was in it...effectively crushing me against the back of the bus in front. I'll add there is no possibility that I was in a "blind spot" or he "couldn't/didn't see me" as he was looking directly at me as he started to move forward. I confess I lost my cool somewhat and *might* have put a fist into the side of the bus.

I didn't have a camera or any other recording means and really just wanted to get home, so there was no reporting of it, though I regret that now.

Avatar
kt26 replied to Cyclolotl | 4 years ago
1 like

Can relate to putting ones fist in the side a vehicle, certainly have myself.

That said excercise caution, almost came a cropper on one when the driver tried to brake test me later, my front wheel did connect with the bumper but I somehow stayed on - I could see the passenger remonstrating with the driver and they drove off quite quickly after that.

For the curious they were driving a wide SUV and tried to squeeze past on a single lane around roadworks (which required changing between lanes), with little regard for my safety or that of the workers.

Avatar
kt26 replied to PRSboy | 4 years ago
0 likes

I remember on a work-organised charity ride to Brussels that after getting some flack for taking primary position, the driver decided not to stop at the following red light for fear of us (there was about 7 or us) catching up with him - and he did see it cause it was coming to a stop when he clearly decided against it.

Avatar
CygnusX1 | 4 years ago
5 likes

I can't condone it, but I was in the cyclist's corner for that impromptu bout of Lucha Libre.

Avatar
ktache replied to CygnusX1 | 4 years ago
2 likes

Who hasn't been "overtaken" by a bus (driver), while they are also pulling in at a bus stop?  I had always assumed it was part of the PSV test.

That and blocking pedestrian crossings because they "forget" that their vehicle might actually be longer than a ford fiesta.

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