Anger as BBC report that ambulance was 'blocked' by cycle lane; Decathlon to sell refurbished bikes; Contador breaks everesting record; Usain Bolt's "newfound respect for cyclists"; Cardiff named top UK cycling city + more on the live blog

If you're prone to getting catchy ditties stuck in your head, think carefully before pressing play on 'GiraGiraGiraGi'. Apparently the song from Italian band Extraliscio is a "great little masterpiece with overwhelming rhythm that mixes the tradition of smooth folk with the sounds of punk", and the video was made by 
Michele Bernardi and Davide Toffolo. You can find links to download or stream it via Spotify, Apple Music or the iTunes Store here. 

The 103rd edition of the race will now take place between 3 October - 25 October due to the coronavirus crisis, which explains the delay in unveiling this bona fide musical masterpiece. 

According to Decathlon's head of external communication, tens of thousands are waiting to buy bikes from the retail giant as they have run out of many cheaper models. In an effort to meet demand, they're now reportedly buying second-hand bikes to restore and sell on. 

Xavier Rivoire told the Financial Times: "We've noticed this huge surge. There’s a cycling boom everywhere."

And indeed, there's now a 'Second Hand Bike Shop' section on the UK website, with Decathlon saying: "Our Second Life bikes have been bought from us and returned for one reason or another. They may have been quickly tested or used by our customers and have small, superficial scratches, which means we can’t sell them - but they’re still in great working order.

"That's why we'd like to make them available to our customers at reduced prices, so we can fulfil our purpose of sustainably making the pleasure and benefits of sport accessible to many."

Sick and tired of the way Holland Park Ave in @RBKC, the richest borough in the country, places me in constant danger from bad drivers. Tonight just the latest example. It is phenomenally dangerous. #Kensington @HounslowCycling @RBKC_cycling @MikeyCycling pic.twitter.com/HNE0aPoIDC

— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) July 9, 2020

The latest dodgy driving clip from the broadcaster shows a driver saving "about half a second" to overtake, before Mr Vine appears to blast an airhorn in complaint at the driver's close pass. 

A proposed cycle scheme on Holland Park Avenue that would see a protected cycleway built on the road has become the subject of a bitter row in recent years, with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea saying they do not back the new route despite a TfL consultation showing that the public were in favour of the proposals. 

 

 

 

 

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Locura de Everesting completada, gracias a vuestros mensajes me animé y lo hice, más de siete horas pedaleando y 8848 metros ascendidos. Reto muy exigente pero una experiencia muy bonita. El próximo lo hacemos juntos! 🔥 @abikesofficial 🔥 • Everesting madness completed, thanks to your messages I was encouraged to do it, more than seven hours pedaling and 8848 meters ascended. Very demanding challenge but a very nice experience. The next one we do together! 🔥 @abikesofficial 🔥 #passion #cyclinglifestyle #abikes

A post shared by Alberto Contador (@acontadoroficial) on Jul 10, 2020 at 4:34am PDT

The Spaniard has obviously kept pretty fit in retirement, fit enough to lower the everesting record down to 7 hours and 27 minutes - that's over two minutes quicker than Lachlan Morton's 7:29:57 set last month at the second time of asking, after the EF Pro Cycling rider's first effort was annulled due to irregularities in data recording. 

According to the new entry on the Hells 500 website, Contador completed his attempt on the 6th July, riding 76 repeats of the Silla del Ray in Spain for a total distance of 136km to make up the 8,848m of elevation. He rode a snazzy new road bike from a new brand simply called 'abikesofficial' on their Instagram page, that we're speculating Alberto could have something to do with. 

Yesterday we reported that the women's record had fallen to former world time trial champion Emma Pooley, with the Brit completing 10 laps of the Haggenegg climb in Switzerland to complete the challenge in 8 hours, 53 minutes and 36 seconds.

It was supposed to be for social distancing , not closing roads for enjoyment. You are killing The economy .

— cabbie (@hangingonin) July 10, 2020

And if you use 'em, you're killing the economy. Made up buffoonery aside, we'll have a full story on the new through-traffic bans coming to several Royal Parks in London later today.  

This footage shows the moment an ambulance's path was blocked by a new cycle lane in Sheffield.

Paramedics had to leave the vehicle to move the bollards out of their way.

Read more: https://t.co/9rpC3vNAU3 pic.twitter.com/49RhnanDHG

— BBC Yorkshire (@BBCLookNorth) July 8, 2020

The words that accompanied the footage have provoked an angry response on social media, as BBC Yorkshire reported that the ambulance was blocked by the new cycle lane in Sheffield. It continues: "Paramedics had to leave the vehicle to move the bollards out of their way on Shalesmoor in the city centre.

"The temporary cycle lane has now been criticised online as a result."

Terribly short-sighted journalism.

If it weren't for the cycle lane, both lanes would have been blocked by cars.

— Maximus von Radfahren (@CultOfCyclists) July 10, 2020

Looks to me like it was stuck behind traffic and used the cycle lane to bypass it.

— Neil Meadows (@Neilythere74) July 9, 2020

so cars are blocking the ambulance, they use the cycle lane to get round, and this is how you report it?

— Stan (@geckobike) July 10, 2020

If you don't either take this down or actually report accurately what led to them needing to do this you have zero credibility as an organisation. How you've managed to put this slant on this story is baffling beyond belief.

— NSP66 (@NeilPugh5) July 10, 2020

As you'll see above many think the BBC very much got the wrong end of the stick, as the ambulance was actually using the cycle lane to proceed because the other lane was blocked by motor traffic; there was the issue of removing the bollards, with some noting that this arguably took less time than trying to negotiate two congested lanes filled with cars. 

The BBC are yet to comment. 

“Sustained lobbying for more money for roads, leaving less for public transport, cycling and walking, is one of the reasons we now face a climate emergency. We can’t afford to indulge this Toad of Toad Hall model of mindless road-building.”

📰 @BBCNews https://t.co/v6NltvRNeu

— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) July 10, 2020

Using data from Highways England, the report by Transport for Quality of Life says that the huge road-building plan announced in Rishi Sunak's March budget would cancel out 80% of the emission savings from electric cars, and the money would be better spent on public transport, walking, cycling, and remote-working hubs. The report also says that electric cars will still add to pollution levels through 'brake dust' - particles eroding from the tyres and brakes - and that building more roads will simply lead to more traffic. 

Although the government accepts overall mileage driven should be cut, a spokesperson told the BBC that the report "doesn’t take into account the benefits from the massive surge in electric vehicles", adding: "The Road Investment Strategy is consistent with our ambition to improve air quality and decarbonise transport."

The report’s lead author Lynn Sloman said: “More roads just mean more cars. Decades of road investment have not solved congestion.

“Sustained lobbying for more money for roads, leaving less for public transport, cycling and walking, is one of the reasons we now face a climate emergency. We can’t afford any more to indulge this Toad of Toad Hall model of mindless road-building.”

The figure comes after it was found that around 9% of the 20 million cyclists in the UK bought a bike after the lockdown started; but comparethemarket.com warn this has led to a spike in thefts according to their new survey, with 11% of respondents noticing higher levels of bike theft in their area since late March. 

Wales had the lowest amount of reported bike theft, with 72% of respondents describing it as "non-existent" in their community. In London, 24% observed that bike theft was 'high' in their area.