An all-time classic local newspaper letter... suggests cyclists "should wear something sparkly to avoid accidents"; Put the duct tape away, that carbon frame is gone; Valentine's Strava art from Wout van Heart + more on the live blog

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Team SD Worx - Protime (@teamsdworxprotime)

To be fair if climbing extraordinaire Demi Vollering had won this one SD Worx really would have had a problem. As it turned out, Mischa Bredewold was the fastest to the line, beating former world champion Elisa Balsamo and Liane Lippert. So, who was fourth? Vollering, of course, who keeps the leader's jersey into the weekend.

Jack Bobridge was twice Australia's national champ during an eight-year professional career that saw him also win a stage of the Tour Down Under and the U23 TT World Championship. He rode for some of the biggest teams in the world: Trek-Segafredo, Garmin-Cervélo and Orica GreenEDGE as they were all known back then.

Bobridge battled rheumatoid arthritis during his career and turned to alcohol and drugs, habits that escalated post-retirement. In 2017 he was caught selling MDMA and the former pro cyclist was jailed in 2019.

Now out of jail he spoke to A Current Affair about his experiences.

"I take full responsibility for the things I've done, the drinking, and the recreational drug use, but I wish there was more support for athletes," he said. "You feel like you give 100 per cent to your sport and your country, and then when you're done, you're just dropped. That's it. You're finished. There were no phone calls, no emails. Nothing after I retired. You just disappear.

"It's hard to carry the weight of everyone you let down. My daughter too—she was so young. She didn't understand what was happening.

"There was no more competition, so there was no barrier any more. It was like the door opened wide, so to speak. I didn't matter. I could do what I wanted, whenever I wanted. I was using a lot of drugs. And obviously, I was getting drugs for my friends, which some people might say is dealing, but there was never any profit in it."

Apple Maps has updated its offering for cyclists in the UK and Ireland, now offering full cycling routing. I can't say I've ever used it, so someone will have to let us know in the comments if it's any good.

Cycling directions were introduced back in 2020 but UK cities were missing, something that was addressed last year with the addition of several British urban areas. The new full cycle routing across the whole of the UK and Ireland was spotted by cmmncw on Reddit, the update seemingly happening quietly in the background, Apple not making any official announcement.

We regularly get bizarre press releases in our email inbox, but Electrical Safety First's "Valentine's Day e-bike warning" is up there. A serious topic with a serious point to be made... what makes it one for Valentine's Day, we're not sure (although it's getting a whole load of blog coverage here, so maybe that's the point). Well played.

Oh wait here come the Valentine's links...

💔 The wrong charger = the wrong spark this #ValentinesDay! 👇

Using an incompatible charger can supply the wrong voltage to your battery, causing it to overheat and catch fire - a dangerous chemical reaction called thermal runaway. 🔥 #BatterySafety #TheRightSpark pic.twitter.com/aYKjzXV3Os

— Electrical Safety First (@ElecSafetyFirst) February 13, 2025

"Making sure you 'find the perfect match' when it comes to a charger for your e-bike battery is vital," Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First, commented. "Always ensure you're using a compatible charger with your battery. If you need a replacement, or need to buy one separately, get it from the original manufacturer as incompatible or substandard chargers can increase the risk of a ferocious fire occurring by destabilising the battery if it's not made to a high standard.

"To charge your e-bike safely, follow the manufacturer's charging instructions. Avoid charging overnight as your reaction time is massively reduced in the event of a fire when you're sleeping – and don't charge your e-bike in an exit route like a hallway, landing or stairwell, as it can block your ability to escape."

The warning comes as research by Electrical Safety First revealed more than a third of UK adults surveyed (39 per cent) were not confident that they could pick out a compatible charger for an e-bike or e-scooter, in the event they had to buy one separately.

> Brompton boss urges crackdown on "poor quality" e-bike batteries before public perception "snowballs into a world of fear"

The charity is leading a campaign to introduce measures, such as third-party certification, to end manufacturers being able to self-declare their batteries are safe. The campaign has been backed by fire chiefs, councils, housing associations and nearly 100 other organisations.

One stage for her new team. One win... 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by FDJ - SUEZ (@fdj_suez)

Following yesterday's impressive opening-day victory at Setmana Ciclista Valenciana, Demi Vollering said the win would give her confidence for the season ahead.

"It's still so early in the beginning," Vollering said. "I still have work to do, but I'm already here in this shape. I think it's a good sign for the season, it gives me some confidence that I sometimes lost last year."

Vollering saw off her former teammate Marlen Reusser (now at Movistar) and former boss Anna van der Breggen (returning to the pro ranks after a stint as a DS at SD Worx). There are going to be plenty of big battles ahead, SD Worx vs Vollering and FDJ shaping up to be one of the storylines of the season in 2025.

Valentine's heartbreak...

Tough scenes on Facebook, one rider sharing the photo of their snapped carbon frame and asking a cycling group: "What do you guys think about repairing a broken bike frame? I recently crashed my carbon bike, broke the top and down tube. I was thinking about repairing it for mostly indoor cycling (my collarbone was also severely broken so I wouldn't be taking the bike outdoor anytime soon.

"Edit: I decide to not fix the bike and just gonna save money for a new frame or bike, thanks a lot for everyone's opinions."

The comments that flooded in in between the initial message and the edit were almost unanimously asking/begging/pleading that this bike isn't ridden again. Now there are incredibly skilled carbon repair services out there, that are able to fix damage such as the fairly common chain suck scrape and other small defects... but this? Here was some of the reaction.

"Trash it even as a stationary bike it would be dangerous unless you like visiting doctors and experiencing pain a lot."

"Seems like it could be a waste of money to have this one repaired, only to use as an indoor trainer for a few months. Save some money and get yourself a new ride. Maybe pick up a cheap bike for training indoors? Still cheaper than repairing carbon fibre at this level!"

"While it is possible to repair almost anything with carbon, it is major damage - and given that it's an older rim brake bike from a smaller brand the frame probably has little monetary value. A substantial repair and repaint from a professional will not be cheap. You would almost certainly be better off money and safety wise getting another frame and moving the parts across."

"As a mechanic, I would judge a mechanic who offers to repair it."

"If a person shows a flat tyre on Facebook I suggest a new bike will fix it. This is way more severe than a flat tyre. So…"