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news
London deputy mayor under fire for Monopoly bike ride (at 2.5mph?!); Pro cyclists injured while training; Rubbernecking cyclist crashes into car (+ video); “If 2020 was a cyclo-cross race”; Dowsett posts “insane” 2020 Strava stats + more on live blog
SUMMARY
Monopoly bike ride (via Heidi Alexander on Twitter)28 December 2020, 19:24
London deputy mayor under fire for Monopoly bike ride ... at 2.5mph?
London deputy mayor for transport Heidi Alexander has come under criticism for a bike ride yesterday around the streets that feature on the Monopoly board – although one of the critics, who surprisingly happens to be a black cab driver, seems to be under the impression that cyclists ride at a speed of less than two and a half miles an hour.
Cycled the Monopoly Board today - although we didn’t go to a jail, the waterworks or an electric company ... pic.twitter.com/hyccba5F0b
— Heidi Alexander (@Heidi_LDN) December 27, 2020
The former Lewisham East Labour MP, who resigned from that seat when she joined Sadiq Khan’s team at City Hall in 2018, tweeted pictures from her ride, holding up Monopoly title deed cards from some of the locations she visited, such as Euston Road and Pentonville Road
(Fun fact … you can take selfies of street signs of both of those within a few metres of each other by Kings Cross Station, another property on the board).
A bit of a Twitter pile-on ensued, accusing Alexander of breaking Tier 4 rules … although there are no limits on time spent exercising such as riding a bike, and Park Lane, the furthest point west on the board, is within easy reach by bike of her home.
Unless, like this Twitter user, who happens to be a black cab driver, you believe that cyclists average a speed well below that of someone walking round the city.
And as for his comment, “Who is that with Heidi is he a part of her household and or support bubble? I highly doubt it” – we’re pretty sure that’s her husband, Martin Ballantyne.
Who is that with Heidi is he a part of her household and or support bubble? I highly doubt it. Also the guidance is to exercise in your local area ie the nearest green space to where you live. 5 miles is excessive and would take over 2 hours on a bike
— T-G (@TGeorgeLDN) December 28, 2020
From our point of view, kudos to Alexander for adding a bit of fun to a bike ride that, with a member of her household, is permitted under the current rules ... there's no Go To Jail card from us on this one.
28 December 2020, 16:35
Two pro cyclists injured within 24 hours after being knocked off bikes
Two UCI WorldTour pro cyclists got belated and very much unwanted belated Christmas presents when they were injured after being knocked off their bikes in separate incidents that happened within the space of 24 hours, reports Spanish newspaper, AS.
Portuguese rider Ruben Guerreiro of EF Pro Cycling – pictured above winning Stage 9 of this year’s Giro d’Italia – sustained a broken collarbone when a motorist turned across his path.
“I was training with some friends when, in the Vendas Nova-Alentejo region a car coming from the front turned left without respecting the traffic code, making the collision inevitable,” he said.
“I don't know if the driver didn’t see us, or if she thought that everything would be fine, but the truth is that the incident happened and she was at fault.
UAE Team Emirates rider Conti, meanwhile, a past Vuelta a Espana stage winner and wearer of the race leader’s maglia rosa at the Giro d’Italia, was thrown into a wall when he was hit by a motorcyclist near his Monaco home.
He was discovered by another cyclist who called the emergency services and was taken to hospital, where he was discovered to have sustained a dislocated collarbone.
28 December 2020, 13:49
Paris-Roubaix cobbled sector being ripped up for a cycleway
Camphin-en-Pévèle, one of the most famous cobbled sectors of Paris-Roubaix, is being ripped up and replaced by a smoothly surfaced cycleway.
Or at least it is, if you believe this post made to Twitter today, saying that "the year couldn't end worse for the Amis du Paris-Roubaix" - the volunteers who restore the paved sectors each year - adding that "the mayor of Camphin-en-Pévèle has decided that half of the famous four-star stretch of Paris-Roubaix will be converted into a cycle lane so children can get to school safely,"
No podía terminar peor el año para los @A_ParisRoubaix , el alcalde de Camphin-en-Pévèle ha decidido que la mitad del famoso tramo homónimo de 4* de la Paris-Roubaix se convierta desde el dia 7 en un carril bici para que los niños accedan a la escuela de forma segura. pic.twitter.com/teLAeJQXoz
— JaviSkimo (@javiskimo) December 28, 2020
The original language of the tweet gives a strong hint that all is not as it seems - today, 28 December, is Holy Innocents Day, the equivalent of April Fools' Day for the Spanish-speaking world.
28 December 2020, 12:28
Rubbernecking cyclist crashes into car
Here's the moment a cyclist in Singapore who was rubbernecking as he passed a crashed lorry, turning to take another look at the scene after taking pictures of it on his mobile phone, himself crashed into the back of a parked car.
The video, presumably shot by a rear-facing camera on the bike of one of the riders out with the hapless cyclist, was uploaded to the SG Road Vigilante YouTube channel where, to put it mildly, the bike rider is attracting a fair bit of derision.
The initial crash, involving two lorries happened yesterday morning on Yishun Dam, reports Asiaone.com, with one of the drivers taken to hospital.
The cyclist who hit the car, apparently breaking its rear windscreen according to a police report filed by the vehicle’s owner, reportedly fled the scene.
Since August this year, cyclists in Singapore are banned from holding or using mobile phones while riding, facing a maximum penalty of three months’ imprisonment or a $1,000 fine.
28 December 2020, 10:58
Police close Sawyer's Hill in Richmond Park due to ice
It was a bit of a cold one overnight in southwest London, and it's hardly scorchio weather now, with police closing Sawyer's Hill in Richmond Park due to ice on the road ... wherever you are, take care out there today!
#RoadClosed We have temporarily shut Sawyers Hill in #RichmondPark due to ice on the roads after concerns were raised by park users. pic.twitter.com/lG5bAwlEBM
— Royal Parks Police (@MPSRoyal_Parks) December 28, 2020
28 December 2020, 10:37
Alex Dowsett posts his “insane” 2020 Strava stats
It's been a big year for Alex Dowsett, with a career-saving solo stage win at the Giro d'Italia securing him a two-year contract extension with Israel Start-Up Nation, and partner Chanel due to give birth to their first child last month ... and now he has revealed his Strava stats for the year, describing them as “insane.”
He's based in Andorra these days, which helps explain much of that climbing stat – with just under a third (8,062km) of his total distance for the year being ridden during races, it’s a safe bet he wouldn’t have got near that amount of climbing back in Essex.
Please note, of those ms climbed, not a single one of them was done in the form of an everesting attempt. The @Strava stat is insane. This year more than any other I’ve noticed just how supported from far and wide Chanel and I are & we appreciate it greatly. Bring on 2021! pic.twitter.com/aGbduf7a5K
— Alex Dowsett (@alexdowsett) December 28, 2020
28 December 2020, 10:28
“If 2020 was a cyclo-cross race” – riders tackle knee-deep mud at World Cup
“If 2020 was a cyclo-cross race” – that is the caption to this tweet from Belgian broadcaster Sporza following a very muddy Round 3 of the World Cup at Dendermonde yesterday, where as well as a quagmire, the riders also had to cope with high winds.
Als 2020 een veldrit was ... #Dendermonde pic.twitter.com/RIoQ61BEMe
— Sporza 🚴🔥 (@sporza_koers) December 27, 2020
Victory in the men's race went to Wout Van Aert, who takes over the lead of the competition.
. @WoutvanAert was unstoppable in Dendermonde and takes over the top spot in the #CXWorldCup pic.twitter.com/VqZCmDVEpG
— UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup (@UCIcyclocrossWC) December 27, 2020
The women's race, meanwhile was won by Lucinda Brand, maintaining her 100 per cent record with her third successive win with just two rounds remaining in this season's shortened competition.
🏆 .@lucinda_brand keeps dominating the #CXWorldCup! @clarahonsinger finishes 🥈, Ceylin Alvarado earns 🥉. pic.twitter.com/UXJDlQfKir
— UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup (@UCIcyclocrossWC) December 27, 2020
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
Latest Comments
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Looking at the pictures in the linked article, the bikes aren't actually inconsiderately parked. The only issue is that they're on private property...
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As an urban commuter cyclist I really want a set of indicators that actually work....
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Just get them to walk a treadmill - or better, ride exercise bikes to power path lighting.
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19 comments
Regarding the monopoly bike ride article:
who surprisingly happens to be a black cab driver
How did that one get past the PC Police!?
Says tit anus...
Related to the Heidi Alexander story and the cabbie's criticism: My wife showed me a story that had turned up on one of her social media accounts. I imagine that google could find it but I really can't be bothered.
Some shop worker in a city in Hawaii who cycled to return a left-behind wallet to its owner. The locals were so impressed that he'd cycled so far that they raised a load of money for him to buy a car because it was awful that he was forced to use a bike.
This amazing distance he'd cycled, to return the wallet and which caused a town to raise several thousand dollars as a thank you/charity gesture?
Three miles.
Some people have very weird ideas of how far or how fast you can travel on a bike...
Our village did a survey recently. One of the questions was how do you get about in the village, answer 85% walk or cycle. It then asked how do you get to to the next village about a mile away, answer 85% drive.
Two pro cyclists injured within 24 hours after being knocked off bikes
this title does not compute. It makes it sounds like they were knocked off their bikes. were aboslutely 120% positively fine then 24hrs later both of them lost limbs or broke bones in a "Final Destination'esk" incident.
Well, often the injury happens when they hit the ground, which is technically after being knocked off... but yes, that struck me as well.
I'd have just gone with "Two pro cyclists knocked off bikes within 24 hours".
Is anyone surprised that a cab driver thinks a bicycle is as slow as their cab in traffic 😂
Or that exercise is walking the distance from their front door to the door of their cab.
Of course it could be argued that this was work for Heidi Alexander, she is meant to promote active travel as part of her job.
he must have been looking at my Strava...
Those custodians of Richmond park really will do anything to stop cyclists using it, won't they...?
Ha! Generally I'd entirely agree, but having been out on a bit of South London tarmac of similar elevation but less exposure this morning and twice nearly binned it with wide winter tyres on, in this case I think it was a good shout.
does Richmond Park, or its "friends", have any legal responsibility for that though ? and if so in which case why arent they gritting those roads in the park anyway, or sorting out the drainage which leads to water run off from the park freezing as ice on the road in winter
but I digress, surely its down to the individual to assess the risk and act accordingly, that picture they posted it looks icier than a skating rink, why would you even consider riding that unless you had spikes on your tyres ?
I must confess, my sympathy is with the car owner.....
Totally.
Ahole riding off without leaving details etc and without taking responsibility. They camera guy might know the cyclist / should telll the cyclist to do the right thing.
Quite a severe collision. So, don't really believe the crash rider, or his bike, would be in any fit/unharmed condition to simply "ride away" as alleged - there is no comparison to crash drivers, protected by their vehicles, enables vast numbers to simlpy drive away from the scene, for all sorts of illegal reasons.
I must also confess, I pissed myself laughing!
Mobile phones eh. Part of a phenomenon whereby reproduction outpaces Darwinism.
Yes, I must confess I did that too.....
There are places which have put padding around lamposts, so frequently do phoning pedestrians walk into them.
My thoughts and prayers are with any lamposts affected....