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"Same Chris, it’s the darn bike holding me back!": Fans react to Chris Froome’s "equipment" blame-game; Are taxis public transport? Cyclists "disappointed and angry" as Oxford LTN allows taxis; Cycle hangars blocked by parked cars + more on the live blog

Just a little more than a week to the Tour, and just a little under a day to the weekend, Adwitiya will try his best today to execute a perfect leadout for y'all...
Fri, Jun 23, 2023 10:26
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"Same Chris, it’s the darn bike holding me back!": Fans react to Chris Froome’s "equipment" blame-game; Are taxis public transport? Cyclists "disappointed and angry" as Oxford LTN allows taxis; Cycle hangars blocked by parked cars + more on the live blogChris Froome disc brake wheel change screenshot 1 - via Instagram Reels
23 June 2023, 15:14
"Same Chris, it’s the darn bike holding me back!": Fans react to Chris Froome’s "equipment"

Oh no, here we go again. "Washed", "delusional", or "coping mechanism"?

Before you come raging at your poor live blog host, that's not me, just people on the internet using those words for the four-time Tour de France winner.

But as I said earlier in the day, eras do come to an end, and maybe this is it for the legendary rider?

It was all going well until Froome gave an interview to GCN, where he might have let his hubris get the better of him for a split second, and that's given all the ammunition to fans to have cheeky digs at him.

The Israel-Premier Tech rider said: "Physically I was ready, but unfortunately I was unable to show my full ability at the races assigned to me due to equipment issues."

And as soon as these words were uttered into the ether, the age-old can of disc brakes was opened, and out crawled all the memories of several instances of Froome blaming his disc brakes for his not-so-great performances.

It's not like the 38-year-old hasn't been mired with "equipment" controversy before. He has swayed from hating disc brakes, to being all aboard the hype train, and then went back to detesting them, even publicly posting a video of a slow wheel change on Instagram for which he got a lot of flak.

> Fed up Froome denounces disc brake wheels on Instagram Reel

Our mysterious forum contributor, Secret_squirrel true to their name, were the first to move with lightning-fast reflexes: "Oh me first me first!
"Equipment issues".... it was those pesky disc brakes wasnt it Chris?"

squired also didn't pass on the free hit, going so far as to pull a reference from the depths of WWE (or WWF depending on how old you are): "Chris Froome is fast becoming the Ric Flair of cycling - "I've got one more in me"."

SimoninSpalding, who reportedly can't be bothered about LTNs and taxis today, had time for Froome's comments: "I have long been a fan of Chris Froome, but this is getting ridiculous.
"IF the equipment he is being given is genuinely $h!t, but he is the best ride on the squad, then his results would still be better than his teammates and he would be picked. UNLESS he is suggesting he is given inferior equipment to that of his teammates which would be a strange decision in light of his purported salary.
"I am afraid he should have accepted his best days were over the first season back post his crash and retired with some dignity."

> What’s wrong with Chris Froome’s disc brakes?

Sean Dowden wrote on Facebook: "Circling the drain. Blaming equipment on his lack of results. Just retire.", while Richard Docherty was more pitiful: "Sadly a decision out of his hands. Maybe time to bow out and move into coaching and/or team management."

To Froome's misery (chap's got enough already), Twitteratti weren't so kind, going straight for the jugular.

Me? I don't really have much of an opinion about the guy, so I can just sit back and watch people being petty.

Burn GIFfrom Burn GIFs
23 June 2023, 08:55
Are taxis public transport? Cyclists "disappointed" and "angry" after Oxford LTN allows taxis in and replaces bollards with cameras
Taxi and Cyclist copyright Simon MacMichael.jpg

Oxford, a safe space for low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) admirers, but also a punching bag for traffic neighbourhood critics.

The Oxfordshire County Council held a meeting yesterday to discuss the Cowley LTN and it was decided that the bollards at Littlemore Road, Littlehay Road, Crescent Road in Cowley will be replaced with automatic number plate registration (ANPR) cameras, and emergency service vehicles, taxis and Royal Mail will be allowed to pass through the LTNs.

As you'd expect, emotions were running high.

"The LTNs were a grubby deal done by [city] Labour with the [county] Tory administration. It’s a disaster from start to finish. I fear for safety of my residents. This council should be charged for manslaughter if anything happens. It is a class war," said a City councillor.

Another speaker said: "We are to be hemmed in with cameras. This city is under siege from its own council, the enemy from within. You do not care that our lives are imploding. We are sacrificial lambs on the altar of your egos. This is the scream of a city."

But amidst all the commotion, active travel experts were left wondering: If it ain't broke, why fix it?

Data released last week showed that air pollution levels across Oxford saw an overall improvement during 2022, with overall NO2 levels down by 8.3 per cent, and a 24 per cent drop when compared to pre-pandemic (2019) levels.

Zahara Plummer from Oxford Livable Streets said: "LTNs have brought about safer streets and cleaner air. We support the use of ANPR cameras for emergency services. But including taxis was not consulted on. People don’t believe that what’s consulted on will be the recommendations put forward."

Cllr Dan Levy, county Active Travel champion said: "There are real benefits to physical barriers: they mark out a safe space for walking, cycling, playing games. I can see the benefit of blue badge holders being allowed access, but not taxis. Taxis will go through in large numbers."

And besides, people were left baffled at the inclusion of taxis among the remitted vehicles, with many cyclists wondering, "Are taxis public transport now?"

At least, Lid Dem Cllr Andrew Grant thinks so...

The decision has not gone down well...

What do you think? Do taxis form an integral part of transport, thus making them indispensable to the overall public transport infrastructure? Or is it going to increase road danger and keep rat running high, while not incentivising people to take up cycling?

23 June 2023, 16:19
BBC dives into cycling helmet debate again... here's what people think about it

If you haven't heard (about) it yet, BBC Radio 4's consumer programme Sliced Bread went to take a deep dive into the cycling helmet debate yesterday, as if we haven't seen enough of it already.

But this time, they decided to have psychologist and road safety researcher Dr Ian Walker on, so maybe there was a chance it would be a bit better?

But apparently not, the Beeb being the Beeb somehow managed to fudge it up, like usual. Here's what road.cc reader Richard Burton thought about it.

I initially heard the bit of Dr Ian Walker, so thought that it was good, but it was the usual deliberately biased BBC approach, with an "expert" explaining how good helmets were at preventing death and injury with no examination of the facts, and although they mentioned CUK, they didn't have anyone from it to comment, and only featured helmet proponents or neutrals like Dr Walker.

But if you'd rather avoid that and listen to something from yours truly, we had the latest episode of the road.cc Podcast release yesterday, and take a guess what's it about...

road.cc Podcast Episode 53

> Podcast: Academic behind ‘cyclists seen as less human’ study: “If you have a safe and normal cycling culture, how could you see people as anything but human?”

Oh would you believe it?! The chance, the coincidence, the fate, the providence!

Ryan got to chat with Mark Limb of Queensland University of Technology, the very reseacher behind the shocking finding that took the world by storm. 

Many of our readers had also shared their own experiences of the humanising or dehumanising effects of different clothing choices. So, the road.cc Podcast got in touch with one of the academics behind the study, Dr Mark Limb, to discuss hi-vis, helmets, and the various perceptions of cyclists on the roads in Australia, the UK, and beyond.

PS. Ryan, Suvi and me also discuss the highs, lows and mids of Netflix's shocking offering that has also taken the world by storm, Tour de France: Unchained.

23 June 2023, 16:10
Rob-beryl? Vandalism hits Greater Manchester’s cycle hire scheme again
TfGM Bee Network bikes (picture via TfGM)

“The Greater Manchester Cycle Hire Scheme has been hugely popular so far, with almost 1million kilometres ridden since its launch, and the majority of people are using the bikes as they should,” he said.

“Unfortunately, a recent spate of vandalism has meant that fewer bikes are available than normal and we would like to apologise to anyone that has recently been unable to access one.

> Vandalism hits Greater Manchester’s cycle hire scheme again

23 June 2023, 14:21
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🌈Special tartan with UCI rainbow for World Championships

If you're heading out to Scotland for the UCI Worl Championships and you are looking to buy a tartan at the same time, you fall into a very specific set of people, but you're in luck because there might be something special for you.

Scottish Tartan for UCI Worlds

The tartan, which is inspired by the iconic rainbow stripes of the UCI jersey and the blue of the Scottish Saltire flag — has been designed and woven by long established weavers, Lochcarron of Scotland, a founding member of The Scottish Tartans Authority.

UCI President David Lappartient said: “It is a fantastic initiative to produce a tartan to mark the first ever edition of the UCI Cycling World Championships. The tartan will be a lasting reminder of an event that wrote a new chapter of cycling history and a reminder that this inaugural edition took place in Glasgow and across Scotland. Long after the competitions are finished, the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will live on in the tartan created in their honour.”

It will also be worn by 2023 UCI Worlds hosts and hostesses at the medal ceremonies.

23 June 2023, 12:14
Ultimate power couple: Tadej Pogačar and Urška Žigart become Slovenian time-trial champions... but Flemish newspaper still refuses to refer Žigart by her name

What's it gotta take?! After coming agonisingly close to win the Tour de Suisse, only to be pipped 75 metres before the finish line for her maiden Tour win, Flemish newspaper Het Nieuwsblad ran a headline, referring to the Slovenian rider Urška Žigart as "Pogačar’s girlfriend".

It led to a lot of backlash, even Pogačar reposting on his Instagram a joke headline referring to him as Žigart's boyfriend (in what I would like to reiterate was a joke first made by Mr Mallon a full day before Canadian Cycling Magazine got to it; yes we take our jokes very seriously at road.cc).

> The best way to deal with a silly headline... Tadej Pogačar edition

And if that wasn't pandering and embarassing enough for the Flemish newspaper, they were at it again yesterday, posting this on Twitter.

They're never going to learn, are they?

23 June 2023, 12:06
"Damn disc brakes!", "freaking SRAM!"... Froome "disappointed" with team selection, says he couldn't show "full ability due to equipment issues"
2023 Cycle Show chris froome

2023 Cycle Show Chris Froome, by Cycle Show

Some quotes from the man himself, after missing out on this year's Tour squad for Israel Premier Tech:

"I’m obviously disappointed with the decision. The Tour de France holds an incredibly special place in my heart.

"Physically I was ready, but unfortunately I was unable to show my full ability at the races assigned to me due to equipment issues.

"I respect the team’s decision and will take some time before refocusing on objectives later in the season and returning to the Tour de France in 2024."

> Chris Froome blames “equipment” after being left for Tour de France, insists he will race in next year’s race

23 June 2023, 11:33
Pogačar raring to go for third Tour title as he remarks injury came at "a perfect time"
2023 Fleche Wallone - Tadej Pogacar (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

2023 Fleche Wallone - Tadej Pogacar (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

If there were any doubts about Pogačar's form going into the Tour de France next week, I think he has well and truly put them to bed with an absolutely dominating performance at the Slovenian time trials yesterday.

He beat the second-placed Marko Pavlič by a whopping 5 minutes and 14 seconds, and even outdid his 2020 time by 27 seconds, setting a time of 29:43 with an average speed of 31.699 km/h for the 15.7km course.

The 2020 and 2021 Tour winner, then told UAE's national news that his scaphoid wrist fracture injury at Liège-Bastogne-Liège in April came at "perfect time".

"Naturally I didn't want it to happen like that, but I was due a long break and I guess the injury just forced me to rest a bit more," he said.

The 24-year-old has enjoyed a barnstorming season so far, already winning two tours: Vuelta a Andalucía and Paris-Nice, before proving his all-round capabilities with monster performances during the spring classics seasons, winning the Tour of Flanders, Amstel Gold and La Flèche Wallonne.

> Incredible Tadej Pogačar wins Tour of Flanders with stunning solo move

Is there anything the Slovenian steamroller can't do? Get a particular Flemish newspaper to call Urška Žigart by her name. More on that shortly...

23 June 2023, 10:43
TdF blues: Another blue kit in the peloton

We've got Cav and company's latest trim for the Tour de France, and it's something I'm seeing a pattern with all these new Tour kits: They are blue.

Okay I am not going to lie, I think the kit is amazing. But, are we going a bit overboard with the blues?

First DSM, Bora, and now Astana. Add Bahrain's and Movistar's blue-tinted kits, and potentially Groupama with a blue-ish kit, it's going to be a sea of riders in the peloton, quite literally.

> Team DSM unveil new name and new very, very, very, very dark blue kit

If I had nothing better to do I would moan about how having similar coloured kits in the peloton is boring and not a good overall watching experience for the viewers, no matter how good they look individually, and it seems that I exactly have nothing better to do other than moaning about a kit on the live blog. Jolly times!

At least Uno-X has a bright red kit! Now, bring on Lidl-Trek!

23 June 2023, 10:16
Edinburgh special! Cyclehoop hangars open only 1/4th the way because... parked cars are blocking the lid

Edinburgh Council is back at it.

We have had drivers blocking cycle lanes, but blocking cycle hangars? That's a new one.

But seriously, imagine you get off your work and go to the hangar to fetch your bike, and then you see this. What would you have done?!

23 June 2023, 09:32
End of an era? Chris Froome left out of Tour de France by Israel Premier Tech
Chris Froome (copyright Zac Williams, SWpics.com)

Chris Froome (copyright Zac Williams, SWpics.com)

Oh my word. I guess that's what eras are, they came to an end.

Once in a generation rider, four-time Tour winner Chris Froome has not been selected by Team Israel Premier Tech for the Grand Tour squad, set to start next Saturday if you weren't aware...

Israel's line-up selection released today morning, and the team wrote it was a "a versatile team aiming for stage wins".

"I believe that each of our eight selected riders has what it takes to be victorious in this race," said the team's Sports Manager.

Besides Froome, South African rider Daryl Impey was also left out of Israel Prem Tech's squad.

It sucks but this might mean that the time's finally running out for the 38-year-old. He's out of contract at the end of the year, and the Brit had earlier revealed he had been struggling with a minor tendon injury at the start of the year, but that the Tour remained "the ultimate goal". 

"It’s the race in which I’ve had my nicest feelings, where all the best riders in the world compete in their best form," he said. "Obviously I’m not going to go to the Tour to fight for the overall, but if I can try to go for a stage win, that would be great."

Besides, the four Tour wins, Froome also won a Giro and two Vueltas, cementing himself as one of the greatest of all time. But since his crash in 2019, he has only finished in the top 10 once, climbing with aplomb at the top of the Alpe d'Huez and finishing third in last year's stage 12 of the Tour. His last stage win came at the 2018 Giro, his last Grand Tour win too.

You are going to be missed Froome, a lot. Who will be the butt of our long-running young-man/old-man jokes, who will we wait for to pile up on disc brakes... what I'd do to watch Cav and Froome have a go at it, one last time at the Tour...

Adwitiya Pal

Adwitiya joined road.cc in 2023 as a news writer after completing his masters in journalism from Cardiff University. His dissertation focused on active travel, which soon threw him into the deep end of covering everything related to the two-wheeled tool, and now cycling is as big a part of his life as guitars and football. He has previously covered local and national politics for Voice Cymru, and also likes to write about science, tech and the environment, if he can find the time. Living right next to the Taff trail in the Welsh capital, you can find him trying to tackle the brutal climbs in the valleys.

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69 comments

Avatar
HarrogateSpa | 1 year ago
10 likes

Taxi drivers are some of the worst offenders for close passing and other bad driving.

They are experts at using their vehicles to create 'facts on the ground' to gain priority where they do not legally have it.

Avatar
pockstone | 1 year ago
7 likes

If taxis  must be allowed, then in-cab cctv, dashcams front rear and side and a black box or geographical speed limiter to keep them to 20mph in the LTNs should be a condition of licensing. Still not convinced that that 'must' is really a 'must' though. As for Royal Mail...bloody nutters in my experience.

Avatar
Car Delenda Est | 1 year ago
7 likes

And so an LTN becomes a fast track network for private enterprise.
I expect the 'professional drivers' will drive even more anti-socially now that they 'don't have to share the road with anyone else.'

Recently saw a taxi driver honk at pedestrians on the pavement so that they could park were they standing.

Avatar
the little onion | 1 year ago
10 likes

Black cabs are, per mile travelled, the second largest cause of KSAs for cyclists and pedestrians, after tipper trucks. Admittedly, they are disproportionately likely to be on busy, city centre roads, so it isn't an exactly fair comparison with most cars. But they are dangerous for two additional reasons:

-they often pull dodgy moves like U-turns to pick up passengers on the opposite side of the road

-the taxi trade are very strongly opposed to basic safety measures that apply to other 'professional' drivers such as HGV drivers, such as maximum working hours, tachometers, etc. So there are lots of tired, dangerous cabbies out there.

Avatar
Secret_squirrel replied to the little onion | 1 year ago
0 likes

the little onion wrote:

Black cabs are, per mile travelled, the second largest cause of KSAs for cyclists and pedestrians, after tipper trucks.

Big claims require big evidence.

Avatar
chrisonabike replied to Secret_squirrel | 1 year ago
0 likes

Indeed!  It's from a few years back and only shows the K of KSI (presumably what was meant) but if they don't have their own figures they might want to check the PACTS report, page 13, figure 3 - total deaths involved in each mode of transport by distance travelled.

I note the little onion does mention the importance of where the vehicle is operating.  This comes up in the PACTS report also - the "per distance travelled" rate makes cyclists almost as dangerous as cars!  Worth looking at their analysis at the end too (essentially - not comparing apples with apples here).

Avatar
the little onion replied to Secret_squirrel | 1 year ago
2 likes

Have a play with these stats - taxis account for between 1.7 and 3% of KSAs by cars (i.e. bigger than motorbike, smaller than van) per year. 

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/reported-road-accide...

Avatar
wycombewheeler replied to the little onion | 1 year ago
4 likes

the little onion wrote:

Black cabs are, per mile travelled, the second largest cause of KSAs for cyclists and pedestrians, after tipper trucks. Admittedly, they are disproportionately likely to be on busy, city centre roads, so it isn't an exactly fair comparison with most cars. But they are dangerous for two additional reasons:

-they often pull dodgy moves like U-turns to pick up passengers on the opposite side of the road

-the taxi trade are very strongly opposed to basic safety measures that apply to other 'professional' drivers such as HGV drivers, such as maximum working hours, tachometers, etc. So there are lots of tired, dangerous cabbies out there.

Yes if where's wally was hailing a cab, every taxi driver would spot him in 0.2s. meanwhile the cyclist they cut up, almost invisible.

Avatar
OnYerBike | 1 year ago
7 likes

I've certainly seen a fair few taxi drivers flouting the rules, and I would say on average they tend to worse than other drivers, although of course not all taxi drivers are terrible and not all other drivers are great. I do think driving standards do tend to fall when there is a financial benefit from doing so, as is seen with delivery drivers (and indeed Deliveroo etc. riders) too. 

I also think it's missing the point slightly - the role (or otherwise) of taxis as "public transport" ought to be separated from how individual drivers actually behave.

I do think taxis have a role to play. Using taxis means less parking is needed, especially in busy central locations. Taxis can be essential to disabled people (although there are plenty of stories of taxis refusing to accept or offering a very poor service to disabled people too). Taxis can make it easier or more convenient to not own a car or not use a car for certain journeys.

However, none of that is predicated on taxis being able to pass through the LTN restrictions. LTNs are designed so that everywhere is still accessible by vehicle, but rat running is not possible. Therefore, any journey is still possible with a taxi. 

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