Rose statement on ceasing UK bike sales; Lukas Pöstlberger stung in the mouth by a bee, abandons TDF; LTNs compared to Holocaust by disgruntled driver; Jumbo-Visma boss thrown off Tour after mechanical doping check row + more on the live blog

A female cyclist was saved by a community patrol boat on the Grand Western Canal in Devon after falling off under a bridge. 

In Your Area report that the woman - a nurse in her 60s - fell off after hitting the brakes while cycling underneath East Manley Bridge near Tiverton on Wednesday afternoon, and was transported back to the basin by the patrol boat before going to hospital. 

A spokesperson for the Grand Western Canal rangers said that cycling under the canal bridges was prohibited, and the incident highlighted the need to heed the signs along the canal path route: “We are sorry to hear about this accident but are pleased to hear that the community patrol boat was able to help the lady", said the spokesperson. 

“It does highlight the importance of following the instructions on the signs at the bridges. The canal rangers will always speak to any inconsiderate cyclists we meet failing to take due care at bridges, but we do have to fit this in around a very demanding workload just keeping on top of the basic maintenance of the country park.

“Unfortunately within any user group there always seems to be a minority of belligerent and inconsiderate people who think only of themselves; whether it is cyclists riding dangerously, dog walkers failing to pick up their dog’s mess, speeding boaters or anglers leaving rubbish and discarded tackle.

“The latest approach reflected in the new signage at the bridges is to try and get cyclists to appreciate the dangers they pose to others if cycling under the bridges - especially more vulnerable towpath users. We will back this up by speaking to the cyclists we meet, explaining to them the dangers posed by cycling under the bridges where this is prohibited.”

While there is no countrywide law that prevents cycling under canal bridges in the UK, the Canal and River Trust advise cyclists to exercise caution and respect local by-laws. 

Their guidance says: "Remember that pedestrians have priority. If you encounter oncoming pedestrians or cyclists beneath bridges, give way to them and be extra careful at bends and entrances where your visibility may be limited. It’s a different pace to cycling on the roads.

"While the majority of our waterways are open to cyclists, please keep an eye out for ‘no cycling’ signs along the way. You may need to dismount where needed and use common sense in busy or restricted areas, recognising that pedestrians have priority."

🇩🇰 Søren Kragh Andersen is increasing the gap with just over 5km to go!

L'écart continue de grandir pour 🇩🇰 Søren Kragh Andersen à 5km de l'arrivée : 52" ! #TDF2020 pic.twitter.com/eBLRstoLsn

— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) September 18, 2020

The audacious attack has paid off, and Anderson is clear with 2km to go. He doesn't know the time gap so he's still going full gas, but he'll be relieved to find out he's about a minute clear very soon. 

As we reported earlier this week, a leaked email from a would-be UK customer of the German retailers said that Rose would no longer be shipping bikes to the UK for 'legal reasons'; and they've now clarified the reasons in a full statement. 

Rose say: 

As some of you have already noticed, we recently had to discontinue the assembly and shipping of ROSE bikes for the UK. This was a difficult decision for us, so we want to take some time to explain it to you. 
 
In the UK, bicycles are constructed differently than in the rest of Europe: The market standards and laws in Great Britain, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland clearly convey that the front brake lever must be mounted on the right-hand side of the handlebar and the rear brake lever on the left-hand side. For the rest of Europe, it is the exact opposite.
 
With the technical complexity of our bikes increasing, we are facing the ever-growing challenge of being able to offer affordable ROSE bikes with a high level of quality and safety. And because we want to shorten our delivery times for our customers, this summer we decided to gradually shut down the configuration of bikes, so that we are able to maintain our usual standards. Installing the brake cables and brake levers on the opposite side would require the type of special solution for the UK that we simply can’t realise right now.
 
We want to be able to guarantee each and every ROSE bike rider that they are sitting on a safe bike and keep the same level of quality. As soon as we are done with the transition in our production and get more clarity about the future of doing business with the UK, we will look for a long-term solution. Because we hope to soon be able to offer our bikes again to the UK and its vital market.
 
Until then, you can still find our bikes on www.rosebikes.com and in our stores in Germany and Switzerland. We’re hoping for your understanding.

On the Rose Bikes UK website it's no longer possible to buy full bikes, with just parts and accessories for sale. 

Durham Police (that's the Durham Region in Ontario, Canada) have released an image of a suspect (above) who is accused of injuring two cyclists and a pedestrian by tripping up the cyclists with a telescopic camera pole. 

The two female victims who were on bikes reported that they observed a man walking on the Whitby Waterfront trail, 'yelling' at cyclists as they passed him. The suspect then extended his camera pole into the path of the cyclists which struck one of the victims' bikes, causing the two to collide. Two pedestrians were also hit by the bikes, with both cyclists requiring medical treatment and one of the pedestrians suffering minor injuries. 

The suspect, described as 50-60 years of age and around 5"10 tall, left on foot without stopping to assist his victims - investigators are still trying to identify him. 

The furore arose when the bike that Primoz Roglic was riding on yesterday's stage was take by UCI staff to perform X-ray control, that involves dismantling the bike to check for possible mechanical doping. 

Zeeman became incensed that the bike was damaged during the check, with the crankset needing to be replaced afterwards. In a statement from Jumbo-Visma, Zeeman said: “I got upset when the commissioner dismounted the crankset from Primoz's bike. We stand for a fair sport and that includes checks, but that must be done in a reasonable way. Despite that, I should have kept myself cool and approached the UCI commissioner in a more respectful way.”

The UCI say that Zeeman has been excluded for "intimidation, insults and improper behaviour of a team member towards a UCI member", and was also given a CHF 2,000 fine.

For the record, the check shown that the yellow jersey bike was in accordance with regulations. In their statement, the UCI added: "The UCI has made the fight against technological fraud one of its priorities to ensure the credibility of results, and calls on all cycling families (riders, teams and organisers) to join forces to ensure the reputation of our sport." 

Zeeman will be allowed to "remain part of the Tour de France team" according to Jumbo-Visma, but will not be able to perform official functions within accredited areas for the final three stages.