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Mark Cavendish doffs helmet to Tom Simpson memorial on Mont Ventoux; Kids pulling wheelies photobomb peculiar patriotic procession; Ineos Grenadier 4x4 has cyclist horn; 99km/h; Wiggo's fashion show; Froome packs his running shoes + more on the live blog

It's coming home (maybe) so come and ease those pre-game nerves with Dan Alexander on the live blog...
Wed, Jul 07, 2021 09:01
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Mark Cavendish doffs helmet to Tom Simpson memorial on Mont Ventoux; Kids pulling wheelies photobomb peculiar patriotic procession; Ineos Grenadier 4x4 has cyclist horn; 99km/h; Wiggo's fashion show; Froome packs his running shoes + more on the live blogMark Cavendish doffs helmet to Tom Simpson memorial.PNG
07 July 2021, 16:37
Not everyone was so lucky...Luke Rowe misses the time cut
07 July 2021, 16:11
Mark Cavendish doffs helmet to Tom Simpson memorial while battling the time cut on Mont Ventoux

Even in the heat of battling the time cut, Mark Cavendish found a moment to doff his helmet in respect to the Tom Simpson memorial on the upper slopes of Mont Ventoux. The memorial marks the spot where Simpson tragically died during the 1967 Tour and is regarded as a pilgrimage site for many cycling fans.

Fans often leave bottles as a mark of respect and Cav threw his cap onto the memorial on the first ascent before removing his lid and raising it skyward second time around. Let's hope there is some common sense applied by the UCI and the commissaires don't feel the need to slap Cav with a hefty post-stage fine...

Cycling writer Chris Sidwells, Simpson's nephew, thanked Cavendish for his gesture...

And while writing this the news we all wanted to hear has come through...It's coming home! It's coming home! Cavendish is coming home! The green jersey has made the time cut...

07 July 2021, 15:41
Wout van Aert...Cyclo-cross superstar turned sprinting sensation who can also TT wins double-ascent of Ventoux stage...Is there anything he can't do?

A LOT happened on Ventoux...Cav is somewhere still out there, battling the time cut. Deceuninck-Quick-Step says he is onto the descent...will he make it?

07 July 2021, 15:13
07 July 2021, 15:11
Japanese government declares state of emergency in Tokyo due to coronavirus, just two weeks before the Olympics
07 July 2021, 14:35
Kids pulling wheelies photobomb peculiar patriotic procession

We've got too many questions about this one...it's safe to say Euro 2020 has some people feeling particularly patriotic. I should hope these pesky patriots parading past potholes paid their 'road tax'...Maybe the Ineos Grenadier 4x4 should have a 'pedestrian peep' to let parading football fans know you're there?

 Thankfully there was a kid photobombing while pulling wheelies for that all-important cycling angle.

Any Welsh, Scottish or Irish readers can stop laughing now...

07 July 2021, 14:07
99km/h...
07 July 2021, 13:31
"The bow before your master button": Reaction to Ineos Grenadier 4x4 having a cyclist 'toot' button

Picking out your comments and reaction to the 'toot' button took a while...I'm guessing that's probably not the reaction the brand was hoping for when it came up with the "gentle hoot" idea...

Graham wondered: "Do they really think a cyclist would be unaware of a massive 4x4 tailgating them, if the 4x4 didn’t have a ‘toot’ button?"

OnYerBike christened the 'toot' the "bow before your master button"...While, Phil Barker added: "Oh, a big red button specially for when there's a cyclist, nope, can't see that being used inappropriately at all."

Keep your thoughts coming in...

07 July 2021, 13:52
Cyclists cause congestion?
07 July 2021, 13:43
Cav fighting the time cut on Mont Ventoux

Today's time cut is expected to be around 48 minutes, based on the stage winner's average speed being 37km/h. The peloton and leaders are on the descent but Cav, with most of his team for help, is still climbing Ventoux for the first time and was more than 15 minutes behind the last time we heard anything. Fingers crossed, it could be tight...

Julian Alaphilippe was the first rider over the summit first and is in the breakaway with Wout van Aert, Bauke Mollema and five others. They have just under five minutes on the yellow jersey with 62km until the finish.

07 July 2021, 11:57
Former Vini Zabù pro Matteo De Bonis handed three-year ban following positive test for EPO

Former Vini Zabù rider Matteo De Bonis tested positive for EPO back in February and has been slapped with a three-year ban by the UCI. The 25-year-old's positive test, the team's second in 12 months, led to their withdrawal from this year's Giro d'Italia while an internal investigation was carried out. Matteo Spreafico had previously tested positive for ostarine at the 2020 edition of the race and the team's headquarters were raided shortly after De Bonis' positive.

07 July 2021, 11:56
Wiggo's fashion show

Yesterday, Talksport ran a story comparing Bradley Wiggins' new look to UFC fighter Conor McGregor. The resemblance was essentially just them both having a shaved head, beard and a chest tattoo. But with the shades and the coat too, maybe they were on to something... 

Now, would I rather see Brad fight in the cage or McGregor ride the Tour? That's the question...

07 July 2021, 11:48
07 July 2021, 11:45
Quality driving
07 July 2021, 11:02
Eddy Merckx fires shots at Mathieu van der Poel's early exit from the Tour de France
Van der Poel Stage 2 (A.S.O. Charly Lopez)

You will not be surprised to hear Eddy Merckx did not take the news well that Mathieu van der Poel was abandoning the Tour de France to prepare for the Olympics. Merckx had similarly disparaging remarks for Caleb Ewan after the Aussie abandoned the Giro to prepare for the Tour.

Merckx told Sporza: "I couldn't do that. If you start a stage race, it's not with the idea of getting out. Otherwise you have to prepare for the Games in a different way. That does not benefit cycling. Van der Poel himself is asking for such a full schedule. Nobody forces him to do all that. The Tour de France is the biggest race of the year and in cycling, I think it's a pity."

07 July 2021, 10:37
A look back at the last time the Tour visited Ventoux and Chris Froome went for a jog

We all know the story. The stage was shortened, crowds packed onto the lower slopes so a moto got stuck, Richie Porte crashed into the back of it, Chris Froome crashed into Porte. With his team car minutes behind, Froome started running and running...The now-famous images were shared by news outlets from every corner of the globe and were even put to the Benny Hill theme in one viral meme...

Former F1 champion Jenson Button paid tribute to Froome's efforts by hopping off his bike to run part of the way up the climb.

During the first week of this year's race Froome joked that he has his running shoes packed and ready in the team car in case history repeats itself...

07 July 2021, 10:26
It's the big one...double-ascent of Ventoux on the menu at Le Tour

It has been in the diary for months now, the double-ascent of Mont Ventoux is now just hours away. The notoriously windy climb will be mercifully calm today, although a slight headwind is expected on the upper slopes. One for the breakaway? A late attack? Pog? Cav? Only joking. Get your predictions down below...

07 July 2021, 08:55
Ineos Grenadier 4x4 has cyclist 'toot' button

The Ineos Grenadier, the new 4x4 from Sir Jim Ratcliffe that the Ineos Grenadiers cycling team is controversially named after, had its interior released to the world this morning...and it comes with a cyclist 'toot' button. Described as "amazing" by Toby Ecuyer, head of design at Ineos Automotive, the button is apparently there so drivers can offer a "gentle hoot" to cyclists to "make them aware that you are there"...

Ineos Grenadier cyclist 'toot' button.PNG

Ecuyer said: "Often when you are approaching a cyclist, if you want to make them aware that you are there you often try to do a gentle hoot and it ends up as a full-blown claxon which scares the living daylights out of everybody. You never quite get it right and it comes out as aggressive." Right. The 'toot' is separate from the main horn and is supposedly a kinder, quieter option, although the video does not demonstrate it being used.

Thoughts?

In December, Brexiteer Ratcliffe scrapped his plan to build the vehicles in Wales, with production instead being moved to the former Mercedes-Benz factory in Hambach, France...The cycling team has also come under fire for its relentless promotion of the 4x4...

07 July 2021, 08:08
07 July 2021, 07:45
Best sporting story of the summer? Reaction to Cav's 33rd Tour de France stage win

Win number 33 was like so many of the rest: impeccable lead-out, explosive kick, blur of green jersey, Cav's hands in the air and a brilliant post-stage interview. It's got us all dreaming of win number 34, and possibly even 35, at this year's race...

Ex-England rugby star Brian Moore even made the case to the masses for Cav's Tour being up there with the drama of the Euros...we're not arguing, Brian.

The memes were great too...

There is a pretty big football match happening at Wembley tonight, the Olympics still to come, Andy Murray's brief Wimbledon return and almost certainly something else I'm forgetting...but where does Cav's comeback rank in the sporting summer hierarchy? 

Dan Alexander

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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83 comments

Avatar
Christopher TR1 | 3 years ago
1 like

It's great: I live in Germany and, on the sme day England beat Germany at the footy and Cav won a TdF stage - Rule Britania!

Mind you I was out riding my bike during the footy 1

Avatar
markieteeee | 3 years ago
11 likes

Slipped out under the radar today was the news that hauliers can now work extended hours because there is a shortage of HGV drivers at the moment. The thing is that the limit on their hours was not because we had load of drivers so 'let's give them all a turn', it was for the drivers' welfare and the safety of them and other road users.  

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to markieteeee | 3 years ago
1 like

Just seen the same news on the Beeb and about to post it here. 

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markieteeee replied to AlsoSomniloquism | 3 years ago
0 likes

I'm sure we'll hear more.

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ktache replied to markieteeee | 3 years ago
0 likes

Only when the bodies start piling high...

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Owd Big 'Ead | 3 years ago
6 likes

WTF!!

Patriots 

I'll be out riding my bike while all the footie fans are watching grown men fall over like they've been shot. 

What a load of nonsense.

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markieteeee replied to Owd Big 'Ead | 3 years ago
1 like

I hope they were patriots, as they were singing Vindaloo.  It's good of them to acknowledge that our national cuisine is provided by migrants. 

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eburtthebike replied to markieteeee | 3 years ago
0 likes

markieteeee wrote:

I hope they were patriots, as they were singing Vindaloo.  It's good of them to acknowledge that our national cuisine is provided by migrants. 

Vindaloo?  But our national dish is incontestably Chicken Tikka Masala.

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Owd Big 'Ead replied to Owd Big 'Ead | 3 years ago
5 likes

So let me get this right, En-ger-land won through an own goal and a dodgy penalty decision 

Looking on the bright side the roads were as quiet as the first weeks of lockdown 15 months ago. Bliss. Can we have the footie on every week?

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markieteeee replied to Owd Big 'Ead | 3 years ago
1 like

A bit of a harsh take on the match but as you were the greatest England manager we never had, I'll let you off.

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Owd Big 'Ead replied to markieteeee | 3 years ago
1 like

I've got to keep on with the controversial comments, even from beyond the grave!!

Don't get me started on leeds Utd.....

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Pyro Tim | 3 years ago
0 likes

incorrect info, sorry

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brooksby | 3 years ago
1 like

On 'Kids pulling wheelies...' - WTAF are those people doing???  They look like a Monty Python sketch.

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Captain Badger replied to brooksby | 3 years ago
4 likes

brooksby wrote:

On 'Kids pulling wheelies...' - WTAF are those people doing???  They look like a Monty Python sketch.

Bladdy patwiots, holding up the twaffic, walking 20 abweast, no 'i viz, or 'elmets. Vey shud know ver pwace!

Avatar
brooksby replied to Captain Badger | 3 years ago
1 like

One of my neighbours (well, lives on the same street but I don't know them) always flies an England flag.  Like, ALWAYS.  The other day a new flag had arisen alongside it and I googled it because it looked like some white supremacy thing...  Turned out to be the regional flag of the Black Country.

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to brooksby | 3 years ago
1 like

brooksby wrote:

One of my neighbours (well, lives on the same street but I don't know them) always flies an England flag.  Like, ALWAYS.  The other day a new flag had arisen alongside it and I googled it because it looked like some white supremacy thing...  Turned out to be the regional flag of the Black Country.

Avatar
brooksby replied to Captain Badger | 3 years ago
5 likes

Can't imagine why I might have thought it was white supremacist - can you?

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Captain Badger replied to brooksby | 3 years ago
1 like
brooksby wrote:

Can't imagine why I might have thought it was white supremacist - can you?

Black White and red, chains,
Looks perfectly, err, normal

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Sriracha replied to Captain Badger | 3 years ago
0 likes

Look it up and dispel your ignorance:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_Black_Country

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ktache replied to Sriracha | 3 years ago
0 likes

Less white supremist, more fascistic perhaps.

When I got my last TimBuk2 bag made I decided to opt for vinyl, and they offered 3 colours, black, white and red, and when I got it I was worried that it might have a slightly fasist tone, which I am nowhere near politically or otherwise.  I very much hope that no-one has ever thought this of me.

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Sriracha replied to ktache | 3 years ago
3 likes

Well, no.

The 12 year old pupil who designed the Black Country flag was in fact recalling "the famous description of the Black Country by Elihu Burritt that it was "black by day and red by night" owing to the smoke and fires of industry."

So informed by the local heritage, not by far-right, authoritarian ultranationalist ideology. Oddly enough.

The white shape recalls the famous glass cone kilns, whilst the chain refers to the industrial history of chain making. Hence all the smoke and fires.

But people can twist anything.

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ktache replied to Sriracha | 3 years ago
2 likes

I am not disputing this information, or that it represents the Black Country, though I found it very green when riding in it from Birmingham.

There is just something about that colour scheme.

My first PostDoc at Reading was a Cornishman and someone had had a go at him for displaying a small flag of Cornwall on the rear of his car, having mistook it for a swastika.  Really not and nothing like it either.

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Sriracha replied to ktache | 3 years ago
0 likes
ktache wrote:

There is just something about that colour scheme

I think it pretty limiting to entertain just one, negative, association for red black and white
https://www.google.com/search?source=univ&tbm=isch&q=flags+with+red+blac...

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ktache replied to Sriracha | 3 years ago
3 likes

You are completely correct, though I did find that someone had created the Facist flag of Antartica.

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Captain Badger replied to Sriracha | 3 years ago
3 likes
Sriracha wrote:

Look it up and dispel your ignorance:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_Black_Country

Consider it dispelled, thanks.

Avatar
mdavidford replied to Captain Badger | 3 years ago
1 like

Although about 2/3 of that article is the 'Controversy' section, about whether the chain is appropriate, given the role that the region's chain-making played in the slave trade...

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Captain Badger replied to mdavidford | 3 years ago
2 likes

mdavidford wrote:

Although about 2/3 of that article is the 'Controversy' section, about whether the chain is appropriate, given the role that the region's chain-making played in the slave trade...

I'm absolutely torn about this.

On one hand the red white and black has clear associations with far-right symbolism - there a re a few world flags incorporating this colour scheme exclusively, but not many, and there are a lot of far-right flags adopting it. And the chain is odd unless explained, and even then there are connotations as you rightly point out.

On the other hand it's the output of earnest engagement by a child. Why on earth did the board of selectors not pick up on this and either adapt the design, or select one of the no doubt many other entries?

Some people might say I'm reading too much into the symbolism, but that's exactly what a flag is. 

 

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markieteeee replied to Captain Badger | 3 years ago
2 likes

This discussion is reminding me of Alan Parker Urban Warrior... appearances can be deceptive - I saw this bloke who had a skinhead haircut and I thought 'fascist' and went over and punched him in the teeth. Turns out he was recovering from a very severe brain operation. 

Avatar
The _Kaner replied to Captain Badger | 3 years ago
1 like

Captain Badger wrote:

brooksby wrote:

On 'Kids pulling wheelies...' - WTAF are those people doing???  They look like a Monty Python sketch.

Bladdy patwiots, holding up the twaffic, walking 20 abweast, no 'i viz, or 'elmets. Vey shud know ver pwace!

That 'sounds' like Wonnie Pickewing...

 

 

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to The _Kaner | 3 years ago
0 likes

The _Kaner wrote:

Captain Badger wrote:

brooksby wrote:

On 'Kids pulling wheelies...' - WTAF are those people doing???  They look like a Monty Python sketch.

Bladdy patwiots, holding up the twaffic, walking 20 abweast, no 'i viz, or 'elmets. Vey shud know ver pwace!

That 'sounds' like Wonnie Pickewing...

 

 

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