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Tour de la Provence finish line crash caused by spectator; Chris Froome works with Red Bull to recover from injury; Police return stolen bike; Shimano earnings up 20%; Fernando Alonso update; Nobody cycles when it's cold outside + more on the live blog

It's Friday and the weekend is almost in sight, Dan Alexander is here for the final live blog of the week...
Fri, Feb 12, 2021 08:58
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Tour de la Provence finish line crash caused by spectator; Chris Froome works with Red Bull to recover from injury; Police return stolen bike; Shimano earnings up 20%; Fernando Alonso update; Nobody cycles when it's cold outside + more on the live blogTour de la Provence finish crash
12 February 2021, 17:05
12 February 2021, 16:24
"Sucks to miss out on a real chance at my first pro win like that": Matteo Jorgenson asks UCI to focus on more important rider safety issues
12 February 2021, 16:02
Tour de la Provence finish line crash caused by spectator

We briefly mentioned in the last blog update that Movistar's Matteo Jorgenson had crashed during the sprint to the line on the second stage at Tour de la Provence. It seems the crash was caused by a spectator leaning over the race barriers. Movistar have said: "Confirmation that Matteo Jorgenson is okay after his crash on the final straight of Tour de la Provence stage two in Manosque. Word from the ground is that the American appears to have touched a spectator who was hanging over the barrier."

From the overhead angle, it looks as though the American rider was sprinting tight to the left barrier where a spectator wearing an orange jacket was leaning over. Jorgenson disappears out of shot at the moment of contact but his fall was captured on the finish line camera...

12 February 2021, 16:27
12 February 2021, 15:35
Davide Ballerini makes it two from two at Tour de la Provence

It was a mixed bag for Deceuninck-Quick-Step this afternoon in Provence. Julian Alaphilippe crashed just before the one kilometre to go banner after Astana's pre-race favourite Aleksandr Vlasov went down in front of him. However, Davide Ballerini saved the day again, winning his second stage in as many days by outsprinting Trek-Segafredo's Giulio Ciccone on the uphill drag in Manosque. Matteo Jorgenson, who featured on Wednesday's blog, also crashed in the sprint to the line.

12 February 2021, 14:58
Police return bike to grateful owner

Sheffield South West NPT were able to reunite one grateful owner with their e-bike after it was found dumped in bushes at Mount Pleasant Park in Sheffield this morning. The bike matched the description of one of three bikes that were stolen from a shed on Edgehill Road earlier this week. One of the other bikes was found abandoned before this Bergamont e-bike was recovered this morning. Top work PCSO's Simon Griffiths and Julia Mclaughlin for getting it back to its owner...

12 February 2021, 13:28
Chris Froome works with Red Bull to rehab from injury
Chris Froome Israel Start-Up Nation (screenshot Chris Froome YouTube)

Chris Froome has credited off-season work with Red Bull for helping him put rehab from his injury behind him and focus solely on training to return to the top of the sport. Froome has been training at Red Bull's Athlete Performance Centre in Santa Monica to address some of the imbalances that came from his 2019 Critérium du Dauphiné crash. Now, 20 months later, Froome finally believes he's overcome the rehab stage of his recovery. 

"I can finally say that I’m confident the rehab process is behind me now. It’s always going to be a weakness I’m going to have to work on until the end of my career. But in terms of the figures I’m seeing on the bike, I’ve got to the same if not even better left-right balance than I was prior to the crash. That’s extremely encouraging," Froome explained.

The four-time Tour de France champion has been doing four two-hour sessions with the Red Bull team, mainly building his core and lower back strength. Away from the Centre, Froome has enjoyed the Californian weather which has helped him get the winter training miles under his belt.

"It’s been a way for me to get some really good quality training done over here. I feel as if I’m in the best place possible coming into the season. I’ve still got a lot of work ahead of me in terms of focusing on race fitness but as a starting point this has put me in really good stead."

When asked about goals for 2021 Froome mentioned he'd love another shot at the Olympics, having won a bronze medal at both of the two previous games.

12 February 2021, 12:18
Rohan Dennis in F1?

 

12 February 2021, 11:45
12 February 2021, 11:24
What's your favourite climb?

Go on then, give your local killer climb a shoutout...Maybe it's that horrible one that's saved for only when your legs are feeling great or an old favourite from every club run. Let us know your favourite climb...

12 February 2021, 10:51
Fernando Alonso's team give update after F1 driver has corrective surgery on fractured jaw sustained in cycling crash
Fernando Alonso (via fernandoalo_oficial on Instagram).PNG

Yesterday we reported that Fernando Alonso, the two-time F1 champion, had sustained multiple fractures after being hit by a driver while cycling in Switzerland. The Spaniard plans to return to the sport this year with his Alpine team. In a statement, Alpine updated us on his condition. It said: "Following his cycling accident yesterday Fernando Alonso was kept under observation in hospital in Switzerland. Medics discovered a fracture in his upper jaw and conducted a successful corrective operation. The attending medical team are satisfied with his progress. 

"Fernando will remain under observation in hospital for a further 48 hours. Looking forward, after a few days of complete rest, he will be able to progressively resume training. We expect him to be fully operational to undertake preparation for the season."

12 February 2021, 10:28
Shimano earnings up 20% in 2020
Shimano logo large

SGB reports that Shimano's net income increased 22.5 per cent in 2020 as sales grew 4.1 per cent. The cycling component manufacturer, that also makes fishing tackle and rowing equipment, said they benefited from "interest in bicycles and fishing that can avoid closed, crowded and close-contact environment boosted demand."

Net sales were up 4.1 per cent to ¥378,040 million (£2.6 million), while operating net income increased 22.5 per cent to ¥63,472 million (£438,000). The company's bicycle component branch saw net sales increase by 2.7 per cent, with operating income up 18.4 per cent. 

In a statement, Shimano said: "Demand for bicycles had declined sharply in early spring due to the spread of COVID-19 but then cycling gained attention as an easy form of recreation and exercise and a mode of transportation with a lower risk of infection leading to an increase in demand for bicycles on a global scale."

12 February 2021, 09:57
How Finland does winter cycling properly

Nice spot by HoarseMann in the comments to share this video about cycling in Finland vs Canada. It shows that how many people cycle isn't significantly affected by how cold it is. Instead, what's more important is having a network of safe bike paths and making sure those bike paths are properly maintained during winter. It's well worth a watch if you've got 15 minutes spare.

12 February 2021, 09:45
TfL to appeal High Court ruling that Streetspace was unlawful

As expected, Transport for London will appeal the High Court's ruling that its Bishopsgate Streetspace restrictions were unlawful. At the time we shared that TfL intended to appeal the outcome. It's also worth noting that no cycle lanes or infrastructure have been torn up yet, with TfL instead having to “substantially” revise their plans while they appeal. Even if the appeal is lost, more time may granted before quashing orders are issued.

12 February 2021, 08:44
Nobody will bother cycling when it's cold outside

Doesn't look like too many cyclists in Hackney took the Met Office's advice to consider not riding. Pictures from other parts of London, including the Olympic Park and Southwark, tell a similar story. That people are still using their bikes to get around, even when it's cold outside. What's more Bob even says that this LTN has been in place since 1974 and nobody complains about it...

Hackney LCC replied to Bob's post: "Cycling is an incredibly resilient transport option. Give people the right conditions and it thrives."

These pictures come as yesterday Medway Council in Kent said they would be salting roads as a priority. They said to also salt cycle lanes and footways would be impractical. 

Dan Alexander

Dan is the road.cc news editor and joined in 2020 having previously written about nearly every other sport under the sun for the Express, and the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Dan has been at road.cc for four years and mainly writes news and tech articles as well as the occasional feature. He has hopefully kept you entertained on the live blog too.

Never fast enough to take things on the bike too seriously, when he's not working you'll find him exploring the south of England by two wheels at a leisurely weekend pace, or enjoying his favourite Scottish roads when visiting family. Sometimes he'll even load up the bags and ride up the whole way, he's a bit strange like that.

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48 comments

Avatar
Kendalred replied to OldRidgeback | 3 years ago
13 likes

OldRidgeback wrote:

Bob from Accounts might not have seen any cyclists when the picture was taken, but just look at the number of wheel tracks.

The trouble with social media, and the written word in general, is it's easy to miss irony. There needs to be a font specifically for irony and sarcasm.

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NPlus1Bikelights replied to Kendalred | 3 years ago
2 likes

No way! /S

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brooksby replied to NPlus1Bikelights | 3 years ago
0 likes

NPlus1BikelightsNJerseys wrote:

No way! /S

<sarcasm=ON> Gosh.  Really? <sarcasm=OFF>

3

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Captain Badger replied to OldRidgeback | 3 years ago
1 like
OldRidgeback wrote:

Bob from Accounts might not have seen any cyclists when the picture was taken, but just look at the number of wheel tracks.

Evidence planted by the cycle lobby....
Wake up and take the red pill dude.
Or is it the blue pill...
BOB! BOB! Which pill are we taking this week?!

Avatar
EddyBerckx | 3 years ago
6 likes

For me it's not deep snow thats the problem more the ice and even black ice and the fact that in a typical commute (when they happen!) there's a wide variety of conditions and surfaces to contend with from dry/clear to snow to slush to ice/black ice and so on...also the fact that the temperature difference on a long commute from outside the city to the centre can be quite a few degrees meaning conditions are hard to predict for.

Always wondered about studded tyres but literally couldn't imagine needing them for more than 2 or 3 days a year

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sean1 replied to EddyBerckx | 3 years ago
2 likes

I keep a set of studded tyres in the loft although I hardly ever need to fit them.  They last a few years so not a bad investment if you will have to cycle in all conditions.

They do make a big difference when the paths and roads get icy.

However rolling resistance is not quite up there with a GP5000.....

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cqexbesd replied to EddyBerckx | 3 years ago
2 likes

EddyBerckx wrote:

Always wondered about studded tyres but literally couldn't imagine needing them for more than 2 or 3 days a year

Long ramble ahead...

About 10 years ago I was living in Hampshire and we had a coldish winter. I came off my bike several times after hitting ice while commuting to work. There wasn't any public transport though (and I don't own a car) so anything but cycling was distinctly inconvenient.

The snow and ice didn't last long but that was what made me decide to get studded tyres. I didn't order them till late autumn however (i.e. 8 or so months later - guessing at the time line). Still plenty of time I thought. Had to order from Germany as I couldn't find them in stock in the UK. Dispatched the next day, took less than 48 hours from dispatch to being at the parcel company's depot in the UK only a hundred or so km away. Still didn't get them for a month or more. Usual thing - they say on their website that they tried to deliver but we were out, even though we were home all day. Never left a card. This went on several times. I rang and complained. They said next day for sure...

Anyway that went on long enough winter arrived. Quite early that year. Then they said they would deliver them but couldn't because of the ice. I kept cycling to work. Every time I came off I thought nasty things about them. My wife broke a rib coming off on the ice that winter. Sure enough the thaw arrived, the tyres arrived and it was quite mild for the rest of the year.

Anyway I still use those tyres. I now live somewhere more snowy and icy than Hampshire and so they get a few weeks of use each year and are still going well. Their higher cost, ammortised over their liftime, has proven excellent value IMO. They have lost a few studs but you can get spares, something I haven't done yet.

I have the Marathon Winters (maybe now known as Marathon Winter Plus?).

 

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brooksby replied to EddyBerckx | 3 years ago
1 like

On a hill on a shared-use path I use, there's a section where all the last few weeks' rain is still draining out of the bank, over the path and onto the road.  It's shallow enough that it freezes.  I have to dismount and walk over it going uphill, and (luckily) remembered about it just in time coming back/downhill.

There's a tub of kitchen salt in our office kitchenette for no apparent reason, so if I remember I'll take it home tonight...

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Sriracha replied to EddyBerckx | 3 years ago
1 like
EddyBerckx wrote:

Always wondered about studded tyres but literally couldn't imagine needing them for more than 2 or 3 days a year

Maybe consider that you need them for about 6 weeks of the year, the time otherwise spent recovering from a broken hip? Opportunity cost type of thing.

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HoarseMann replied to Sriracha | 3 years ago
3 likes

I was lamenting the rolling resistance of the winter tyres today as the roads were clear. But I kept telling myself too much grip is just more time on the bike - too little grip is more time off the bike.

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Hirsute replied to Sriracha | 3 years ago
0 likes

Isn't the point if you only need them for 2 or 3 days, you just don't bother with the bike?

I looked at these tyres years ago and even the diy version but we get snow so infrequently in Essex and for a short time, I just wfh or get a bus for those few days.

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riggbeck | 3 years ago
12 likes

Where I live in the south of Germany, if it snows over night the mini plough or snow blower is out clearing and gritting the cycle and footpaths by 5 am. Often those are done before the roads.

I am happy with that, the choice is often 20 mins to dig the car out or get a toasty warm ice free bike out of the basement and just get going.

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wycombewheeler replied to riggbeck | 3 years ago
9 likes

riggbeck wrote:

Where I live in the south of Germany, if it snows over night the mini plough or snow blower is out clearing and gritting the cycle and footpaths by 5 am. Often those are done before the roads.

I am happy with that, the choice is often 20 mins to dig the car out or get a toasty warm ice free bike out of the basement and just get going.

An approach which prioritises the safety of people, over property damage. Unfortunately the UK approach seems to eb the opposite protect those who choose to use their cars from damaging them, while people who have no choice risk injuries.

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grOg replied to riggbeck | 3 years ago
0 likes

My daughter in Berlin hit a small patch of black ice and went over, fracturing a tibia.. before she hit the black ice, the road had been dry, with no snow or ice; can studded tyres be used in those conditions?

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HoarseMann | 3 years ago
7 likes

NotJustBikes did a vlog recently on the enablers for winter cycling. Quite interesting to see that it's possible even in Finland...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhx-26GfCBU

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markysparks replied to HoarseMann | 3 years ago
1 like

Great vlog thanks! It just shows what's possible, if only..... sigh

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Simon E replied to HoarseMann | 3 years ago
2 likes

in #Oulu, Finland, 51% of all school trips are made by bike.

https://twitter.com/harrivaarala/status/1186506692483268609

Guardian article about preventative health in Finland:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/07/finland-blazes-trail-in-ke...

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Kendalred replied to HoarseMann | 3 years ago
1 like

Thanks HoarseMann, that's quite eye-opening.

If you build it, they will come (even if it's -20c!), or...Touque can play that game.

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