"It hurts watching it": Expressway coaches' bizarre 'cyclists-as-loser' advert (+ more dreadful cycling ads); Fabio Jakobsen's "dream" comeback; Cav talks Tour de France; How far to the top?; Sagan shreds; The kids are alright + more on the live blog

Right, where was I riding today? First person to guess the bay correctly wins a signed TDF race number 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Good luck 👍 pic.twitter.com/drJS7aJgmB

— Geraint Thomas (@GeraintThomas86) August 18, 2021

Taipei Cycle, one of the world's largest cycle shows, will return as a physical show and virtual event in March 2022. It will be the first hybrid event, with pre-pandemic in person shows being replaced by strictly virtual editions in 2020 and 2021. This year's show attracted 110,000 visitors from 81 countries online, but the 2022 industry show and exhibition will be back live between March 9-12 2022.

The online aspect of the show is designed to allow those from countries with cross-border restrictions or differing time zones to get involved via the virtual exhibition.

This may have been made tongue in cheek, but the advert feeds into the underlying negative attitudes towards cyclists on public roads. Dangerous underlying message.

— Frank O'Leary (@folear) August 18, 2021

We can't repeat some of the reaction to Expressway's shocker...let's just say Jay Cartwright's famous line hanging out the window of a yellow Fiat Cinquecento Hawaii edition has been a popular response...

On Facebook, Mike Lister wondered if the project was actualy the work of the next series of candidates on The Apprentice.

Paul Michaels added some words to live by, "I'd rather wear a helmet than be one". (No helmet debate please).

Under this blog, Jenova20 said: "That's pure cringe. I'm not convinced youngsters actually talk like that either..."

eburtthebike added: "Wow!  This must be front runner for 2021 worst advert, and a good bet for worst of the decade.  The ad agency must be so proud; does anyone know who is responsible, or are they denying ownership? I can't imagine anyone being persuaded to go on one of these coaches when you'd have to share it with people like that.  Maybe they were trying to be funny, but it's just moronic."

A different way of training on my bike that I enjoy a lot! Thanks to Luca Leonardi for following me and filming me!@BORAhansgrohe @iamspecialized @sportful @ride100percent pic.twitter.com/96q3hPjCJx

— Peter Sagan (@petosagan) August 17, 2021

Mark Cavendish has spoken to Danish TV show Radio Tour about his love of the Tour de France. Visiting after riding the Tour of Denmark, Cav said: "The Tour is not a bike race, it’s a world sporting event. It’s a different level. People who have never been don’t understand. Every time you do an interview with one of the riders, whether it’s a rider with personality or without personality, they always say ‘the Tour is the Tour.’

"It’s the only bike race in the world where you have 180 of the best bike riders at that time, all in peak form. The consequences of winning or losing are just bigger. That’s why the emotions are so high. The stress is different, it’s something you have to prepare for."

On Monday, Cav was confirmed as the first rider for the upcoming Tour of Britain. The race starts in Penzance in Cornwall next month and regional news site Cornwall Live is getting into the Tour spirit, asking the hard-hitting journalistic questions...

Winning his first UCI road race in the biggest U23 stage race on earth, just days after competing on the track at the Olympics.

No wonder our U23 rider to watch @EthanVernon22 looks happy.

📸 Anouk Flesch pic.twitter.com/mL5Fa5prqt

— The British Continental (@BritishConti) August 17, 2021

In a matter of weeks Ethan Vernon has competed at the Olympics and won a stage of Tour de l'Avenir - the top U23 race in the world. He doesn't turn 21 until next week...not bad. 

A more popular winner all year you will not find. Fabio Jakobsen, a little over a year on from the horror crash at the Tour of Poland which left him with a frightening list of injuries, has returned to the top of the sport. The former Dutch champion won yesterday's stage four of the Vuelta and was understandably emotional after the finish. 

"This is a dream," he told his Deceuninck-Quick-Step team. "I want to thank my family and the team, my second family, because they are the reason I am here. It’s the most beautiful victory of my career and I can’t thank everybody enough for what they did for me. It’s been a long road since last year, and to be here, a Grand Tour stage winner again, makes me incredibly happy."

Jakobsen might have made it two from two by teatime tonight. Stage five should be another easy day for the peloton, finishing with a bunch sprint in Albacete. This was one of the stages bookmarked for possible crosswind action, but the current weather forecast means that shouldn't be an issue.

No need for the wheelies. There’s an easier way to get around.

Be like Tomo and book, plan and manage your journeys online using MyExpressway.

Take it easy at https://t.co/kHjh1FMOHA#MyExpressway #TakeItEasy pic.twitter.com/GnJxUIwrEh

— Expressway #MyExpressway (@ExpresswayIRE) August 17, 2021

Expressway coaches' new ad will have you cringing...What better way to attract new passengers by having a pop at cyclists. 'No need for the wheelies. There's an easier way to get around.' Firstly, I'd love to see someone do a wheelie on a tandem, let alone from the front seat, and that's before we even start with the ad itself...

The cyclist's bemused expression at the end was all of us watching. Some have said the most baffling aspects is that Expressway run journeys between Irish cities, meaning that people who use bikes for shorter journeys aren't even the target audience...and, even if they were, what part of that advert is going to make them want to take an Expressway coach? 

Here's some of the reaction...

Dublin Cycling Campaign called it "a strange new advert from the 'cyclist-as-loser' genre. Is it some kind of attempt to win back customers post-pandemic? What's the strategy here? Expressway coaches, which mostly cover inter-urban routes, aren't in direct competition with bicycles. It's bizarre."

What is actually wrong with you? Feel bad if you actually had to pay someone for this ad. No other way for marketing but playing busses against cyclists game??

— Aliona Wynn (@aliona_wynn) August 17, 2021

No comment.
It hurts watching it.

— AskYourLocalGerman (@AskUrLoclGerman) August 18, 2021