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Active travel campaigner leaves Twitter after abuse & threats; Cav content; TDF behind the scenes; But cyclists; New pro kit: Movistar go dark; Virtual Everesting; Pog to ride Flanders; Dashboard gunsight; Hairpin porn; Bye Bailey + more on the live blog

It's Wednesday and Dan Alexander will be providing the updates for your middle of the week live blog...

SUMMARY

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15 December 2021, 17:14
Get your wallet out
15 December 2021, 16:32
Have you tried?
15 December 2021, 15:55
EF Education - Nippo announce major transfer coup with deal for breakthrough climbing sensation Mark Padun

It's safe to say Ukranian pro Mark Padun shocked the world at the Critérium du Dauphiné, winning consecutive stages in the mountains against some of the best riders in the world. An extraordinary achievement made more impressive by the fact that before the race Padun's biggest win was a stage of the Tour of the Alps back in 2018.

Retrospective analysis ranked Padun's watts per kilo climbing performance up there with the best rides of the season. And while the rest of 2021 didn't work out for the Bahrain Victorious rider, where he would be riding in 2022 was one of the big off-season transfer questions.

Ineos were unsurprisingly mentioned, and at one point were assumed to be the destination by many. But refreshingly it's EF Education — who have secured his signature.

Jonathan Vaughters talked up his new big-name signing: "I fully expect him to win his first stage of a Grand Tour in the next couple of years. I have no doubt that he’ll do that. I know he can find the right breakaway in a mountain stage and climb away from everyone else and win stages. I know he can do that in Grand Tours.

"Whether he can expand on that to win mountain jerseys or contend in general classification, that part we have to find out. But for this year, let’s focus on a couple of stage wins. I’m 100% confident he can do it."

15 December 2021, 09:40
"I don't want to be on it anymore because I don't want to be anywhere near these men": Pro-active travel councillor leaves Twitter over abuse

Cllr Jo Rigby is a live blog regular with her thoughts, pics and videos of active travel infra (or more often the lack of it) from Wandsworth, south London. As recently as last Tuesday she headlined the live blog after sharing a clip of six drivers cutting across a painted bike lane in just 25 seconds. The video sparked a discussion about whether paint is infrastructure and if the lanes really are better than nothing.

However, this morning, a friend has shared a statement saying the councillor is leaving Twitter due to abuse and threats. 

The full statement is above but includes, "I was reading posts from a group of men in Enfield who [...] had gathered to discuss how I needed a smack to shut me up along with indulging themselves in a fantasy where I get crushed to death by a tipper truck.

"There are some wonderful people on here [...] but it's essentially riddled with hate and anger. And I don't want to be on it anymore because I don't want to be anywhere near these men."

Rigby said she's also had a threatening email sent to her place of work, including calling on her employer to take action against her. Something "which didn't get the response he wanted. I got a lovely supportive note from my new boss."

15 December 2021, 15:05
The air horn has still got some juice left after yesterday...
15 December 2021, 14:19
Tadej Pogačar adds Tour of Flanders debut to 2022 programme — will ride four of five Monuments
Tadej Pogacar in yellow - picture credit A.S.O., Charly Lopez

What does Tadej Pogačar do when he's already won two Tour de France titles and two Monuments before the age of 24? Try and win just about everything else...

The Slovenian has added the Tour of Flanders to his 2022 calendar, and will ride three other Monuments — Milan San Remo, Liège–Bastogne–Liège and Il Lombardia — on top of defending the Tour de France and returning to the Vuelta a España.

"The start will be similar to this year, I will open the season with the UAE Tour, which is very important for the team," Pogačar told Slovenian media. "I will almost certainly compete in four Monuments - all but Paris-Roubaix - two Grand Tours, and probably also the World Championships, where the route will not be so flat and it will be difficult to control. The season will be quite strenuous, and the Tour of Slovenia is also planned."

Can Pogačar win Flanders? His win at Liège showed he packs a sprint at the end of a demanding day...and it's hard to see him getting dropped on the climbs...anyone feel strongly either way?

15 December 2021, 12:33
Episode 2 of The Wolfpack Insider: Tour de France

Need some lunchtime viewing? Deceuninck-Quick-Step have delivered the goods with the second episode of their behind the scenes series from the Tour de France. It's got all the Cav content you could possibly need as the Manx Missile's stage-winning run continued into the second week.

Times have certainly improved for Cav since this was taken...

15 December 2021, 12:16
Anyone remember what happened to Shaun Bailey?

It's funny how things work out sometimes...at the back end of last year Tory London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey was spouting about restoring the roads of the capital to motorists.

His campaign included verbal attacks on LTNs, including a bizarre video comparing the schemes to the Tour de France. Aye, because we all remember the time Tadej Pogačar dropped Richard Carapaz with a sneaky attack around a planter.

Bailey lost the campaign, but was back in the papers yesterday after he was pictured at one of the Tories' definitely not a party last December...he has since quit as chair of City Hall's police and crime committee...

15 December 2021, 12:04
It's those bloody cyclists jumping red lights again...
15 December 2021, 11:33
New pro kit: Movistar go dark

Trek-Segafredo went white, Movistar have joined the dark side with their first La Passione kit. Alejandro Valverde and Annemiek van Vleuten get a splash of extra colour with their world champ's stripes on the sleeve, but otherwise it looks like an homage to Manchester City's dreadful no logo third kit...okay, fair enough, it's better than Puma's effort...

15 December 2021, 10:35
Complete an Everesting without leaving home...RGT Cycling announces 2022 Everesting Challenge with World Bicycle Relief
RGT x WBR x Everesting Challenge 2022

Free to use virtual cycling platform RGT has announced its 2022 Everesting Challenge — a 31-day window to climb the cumulative altitude of Mount Everest (8,448m). Okay, okay, I hear you...that's technically not an Everesting if it's not all climbed in one ride, but hey, it's in January with all the excess Christmas weight, be my guest if you want to do it all in one ride. The rest of us will just be happy to rack it up by February 1...

The challenge is in partnership with Hells 500, the creators of Everesting.CC, as well as World Bicycle Relief, the non-profit organisation dedicated to mobilising people through the power of bicycles. It's a fundraising challenge, so you can start the year getting fit for a good cause.

RGT Cycling’s Head of Brand and Marketing James Vickers said: "Now that we’re firmly back into indoor riding season in the Northern Hemisphere we hope riders see this challenge as a fun way to maintain motivation through the winter months, whilst also raising funds to support the incredible work that World Bicycle Relief does around the globe."

Fancy it?

15 December 2021, 10:24
Hairpin porn

All the switchbacks you could ever wish to see...and not a Box Hill in sight...of course you've got to have the big dogs...the Stelvio...

Stelvio hairpins

Alpe d'Huez...

Alpe d'Huez

 But what about some lesser-known hidden gems for hairpin lovers...

I'll give all the kudos in the world to any of you lot who have ridden any of those...the bucket list is now a couple of climbs longer...

15 December 2021, 08:50
"Now I can better target cyclists": Motorist shares photo of dashboard gunsight

This thread makes pretty grim reading for your Wednesday morning...

Some amateur reg plate detective work means we reckon this is from Finland, where one motorist bragged about their new gunsight set-up on their dashboard meaning they can "better target cyclists".

The replies sadly got worse, with a couple saying that's what the Mercedes star on the bonnet is designed for...while the sight driver justified their actions by arguing, "We have good routes for cycling and still some idiots cycle on the road."

Two accounts, both with cartoon avatars, one claiming to be German, the other from Ukraine took it further...maybe it's our mistake for paying attention to anonymous trolls, but anyway...

One commented: "It should be the goal of every driver to hit at least one cyclist while driving."

The other said: "You just run them over that's what you do."

Closer to home, last week the owner of a van in Greater Manchester, pictured with spiked wing mirrors, denied the modification was designed to harm cyclists. Jonathan Tomney said it was to deter vandals from stealing parts of his car..."I just hope that if one of the little b******s tries to take my wing mirror again they’ll sever their hand."

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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72 comments

Avatar
OldRidgeback replied to EddyBerckx | 2 years ago
8 likes

That's true. We've enough trolls here in the UK, some of whom even post regularly on this website.

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Flintshire Boy replied to OldRidgeback | 2 years ago
1 like

'Troll : someone who dares to have a different opinion to you, and in the interests of democracy must be silenced immediately.'

Or something like that.

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Hirsute replied to Flintshire Boy | 2 years ago
12 likes

If you asked who is (are) the troll(s) on here, you would get a very small list back from posters.

People who post here are easily able to distinguish between those who have minority opinions and those who post simply to bait people.

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to Flintshire Boy | 2 years ago
3 likes

So Flintshire. (and unlike Nick_cb who will debate back and forth, I don't expect you to answer these as you never seem to want to backup your convictions when queried)

Do you think fat cyclists cause accidents because they block out other cyclists in front?
Do you believe Nick Freeman is a top road safety expert being as his living is to defend people who broke road safety laws regularly?
Do you think being banned for racism, then coming back on under a different psuedonym that they then regulalry change including using it to blame a cyclist who died in a collision because of the bike they rode is just a different opinion?

And please give reasons why these are valid opinions rather then deliberately trolling comments if you do agree with Boo on the above items. 

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xcleigh1247 replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 2 years ago
2 likes

[/quote]

 

This is a mischaracterisation of Nick Freeman's job. 

[/quote]

[/quote]

I know there's a lot of interest here, so I thought I'd note that lawyer extraordinaire, road safety expert, and all-round good egg Nick Freeman

[/quote]

Which tw*t was it who said the above? Oh yes the resident Road.cc sea lion!

 

 

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 2 years ago
8 likes

Ok Boo, I will go against my normal stated policy but you have asked me to get the details straight from the arses mouth. 

So where you claim you are not Boo even though all what he used to state and all you state tallies up and that person is different.
You claim banned boo did not get banned but deliberately asked for all of his postings and his account to be removed "cause reasons", so how did he contact you to tell you this? I mean afterall, when I previously confronted you over this you had never heard of this person before. Surely if I'm so mistaken he would have contacted me to put the record straight rather then contact another total stranger. I mean it did seem weird that the morning after he posted racist comments about Irish people all his posts and his account disappeared. I wonder why after posting that he thought "no, I better just ask to leave" Was it because people were rightly calling it racist I wonder? So again, the main question I would like answering is how did someone you have never heard of who left this site before you ever arrived, manage to contact you to put the record straight instead of contacting the person who is spreading the news he was banned. 

I will pre-empt you in that I smell your favourite smell, Bullshit. It must be your favourite as you seem to worship it in all your role models. 

Oh and to pick up the other obvious lie about username issues. PHP errors stopped you logging on, but you could still change your username to logon past the errors without managing to logon. Maybe the errors happened because you had already changed your username to "YouareallCyberbullies" when you had a hissy fit and vowed (but of course broke that vow straight away) to leave the site and never post again. Also very starnge that the only username to work for you was TTDanger which you used to post some vile comments about the death of a young lady that even more laid back members of this site reported you over and were removed by admin. Just a shame that you then didn't "ask for your account to be removed" just like boo to save the rest of us from putting up with you. 

And before the more right wing members argue that my last coments are about silencing opinions and not being democratic. Can I just remind you that #boycottGBNews was trending when a presenter decided to do an AntiRacism gesture after twitter bile went through the roof in the summer and he was subsequently forced to resign. So both sides of the spectrum will hate differing opinions that the "majority" of the platform users might not have.  

 

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Hirsute replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 2 years ago
4 likes

All correct especially the nonsense about 'I had to change my username because I couldn't login' even though you had to have logged in successfully to change it.

Then change it another 5 times.

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Hirsute replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 2 years ago
3 likes

Funny how you were the only one who had to change their name and then decided to change it to 'you are all cyberbullies' then one or two days later to 'tt danger'. Instead of the normal nigel garrage1. More lies.

And you did post as TT danger on the woman who was badly injured and trolled about the incident. Of course, you could have changed your username back but you prefer to suck people into responding, leaving them thinking it is a different poster.

Your whole approach is baiting and any other forum would have banned you months ago.

 

 

 

 

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to Lance ꜱtrongarm | 2 years ago
2 likes

Garage at Large wrote:

Lie after lie after lie after lie after lie after lie

Boris and Donnie would be so proud. 

Ok, lets break down this then. First you knew Boo IRL, but even though you both have similar interests in riding only by yourself, supporting far right and bumbling leaders, hating cycling clubs, hating TT bikes, victim blaming cyclists and having a hard on against Cycling Mikey, you only decided to join a site your "mate" left 8 or so months previously. Yep ok. SoIF I would now believe you, it would obviously meant you lied when I confronted you previously about this and you stated you don't know anything about the fella. Of course so strange you know the exact thing that was posted and was then gone the very next day. 

Yes, there was a long thread about issues on the site, not one thing about being trapped in user page and I don't remember anyone else having to change their username at all. You must be so unlucky that you needed to change it several times and not one other person did but also very lucky that your name change occurred before the news of the collisions. I mean even though it must have been seconds before as I distinctly remember the name was You Are All CyberBullies that morning and then it was TT Danger that afternoon with me commenting about the name change having to do with that story and Hirsute stating he had made the complaint about your crass comments. 

So anyway, as you are now clearly a fantasist on a windup making offensive comments and still peddling conspiracies when you want to, I will go back to talking about you and not talking to you Boo.

 

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chrisonabike replied to Flintshire Boy | 2 years ago
3 likes

First - story was about whether we needed stuff from some guy in Finland joking about driving into cyclists.

Does that mean you agree with the sentiment, think this is all in good robust humour or are merely pitching in in favour of a friend / your master?

Kind of you to activate your dictionary mode though.

I think I'll run with these definitions myself:

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/troll

troll noun [C] (COMPUTING)
someone who leaves an intentionally annoying or offensive message on the internet, in order to upset someone or to get attention or cause trouble
a message that someone leaves on the internet that is intended to annoy people:

troll verb [I or T] (ANNOY) informal
to leave an insulting or offensive message on the internet in order to upset someone, or to get attention or cause trouble:

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giff77 replied to Flintshire Boy | 2 years ago
0 likes

Not sure what dictionary you pulled that definition from. But it's definitely not in any of the dictionaries I have. 

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Flintshire Boy replied to EddyBerckx | 2 years ago
0 likes

You mean that it isn't already, at times???!!!

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