"The must get in front is just irresistible": Cyclist overtaken by driver who gets to sit in traffic two seconds sooner; He's back... Tadej Pogačar returns to Strava with 30km/h mountain epic; Dan Walker talks about "hairy" crash + more on the live blog

A classic of the genre...

The MGIF is just irresistible 🤦 pic.twitter.com/idu3xGID8r

— Jim's Wheels (@JimsWheels) June 6, 2023

Having seen the footage, CyclingMikey said the phrase that comes to mind is that the driver would struggle to organise an alcohol-based festivity in a brewery. Another viewer suggested they "can't resist the quick glance in, the look of utter contempt, and then the shake of the head as I cycle on" when this inevitability of cycling on British roads unfolds to them.

Admittedly not often as dangerous as a high-speed close pass or 'sorry mate I didn't see you', the must get in front (MGIF) is a more confusing experience and will leave you questioning: 'why?' Whether it is to get ahead at a junction, with a red light looming or, in this case, simply to sit in traffic two seconds sooner.

Anyone got any theories? What is it about a person riding a bicycle from A to B that requires a select few to feel the need to always get in front no matter what's ten metres ahead?

> Injured cyclist calls for drivers to pay attention after motorist hit her from behind, throwing her into ditch – but escaped police action

British Cycling has announced some of the riders heading to Redcar and Cleveland at the end of the month for the British National Road Champs, where the wearer of the bands will be decided for the next 12 months.

Geraint Thomas, Ben Swift, Pfeiffer Georgi, Fred Wright and Elinor Barker, along with returning 2022 national champions Alice Towers, Sam Watson, Matt Bostock, Josie Nelson and Leo Hayter will all be present as the road race, time trial and circuit race titles are all up for grabs between Wednesday 21 June and Sunday 25 June.

"I'm really thrilled to be back and racing at Nationals, which will be the first time for me in the road race, at least, in about 10 years," G said. "It looks like a tough course that will make it a very hard race. It's going to be great to be back out and racing after recently completing the Giro d'Italia – I can't wait to get out there!"

Plenty of your thoughts on the 1x question...

> Should you run a 1x set-up on your road bike?

For the layman: ditching your front mech and using just a single front chainring partnered with a wider spread of gears at the back.

I've seen at least five of you expressing your disgust at the idea with one, single 'no'. Efficient commenting. HoldingOn's being tempted by the fact it's one less thing to clean is very relatable. I have to admit considering it during one particularly infuriating front derailleur saga, but have been put off by the amount of time I spend at both ends of my gear ratio. Not sure I could bring myself to give up one or the other.

mrmusette: "Loved the look, concept and simplicity of 1x so built a road bike around it for London's flat geography. After a year or so I am going back to 2x mechanical.

"The range of gears, better chainline and the ability to use a front mech to nudge the chain back on without getting off the bike if it ever does drop (not that it did with a narrow-wide chainring and a clutched rear mech) all completely outweigh the pros of 1x for road. Try it if you really need to scratch the itch, otherwise, don't bother."

Off the back: "The thing that puts me off a single front ring setup is I ride such a varied type of terrain. I could be on a very flat ride one day but the next ill decide to go up some hills. My bike has a 52/36 and a 11-28 ratios. I can get up most things on that and still have a decent range on the flat. 

"A pro racer knows exactly what they are riding  that day, they know the gears they need to be in in most cases so can make that decision. Oh and they have a mech to do it all for them."

Matthew Acton-Varian: "I think 1x makes sense if you are a commuter, or riding really flat terrain. Otherwise the jumps between gears are just too big to get an ideal cadence."

Runs silent like a belt drive, no cross chaining or ugly front mechs, 12 speeds, and a Classified hub to top it off. *Chef's kiss*

— Bobbleoff (@tristramc) June 7, 2023

Our Twitter followers are, in general, more positive about 1x, another reader saying: "Been commuting on mine for 5/6 years. It's practical and simple, but if I know I'm going to do a much longer commute + climbs, I'll take another bike with a wider range of gears. Each to their own on this one."

Well, some of them are more positive...

No. Don’t want a dinner plate sized cassette on my road bike

— Stuart Houston (@UltimateWeevil) June 6, 2023

EF Education-EasyPost have teamed up with Los Angeles Bike Academy to raffle off Jonathan Caicedo's Cannondale SuperSix Evo from the 2021 Giro d'Italia... of course including the customary EF switch-out paint job from the race...

Tickets are $25 a pop, although even at that price I'd be attempting to (unsuccessfully) negotiate a new chain and perhaps even some fresh rubber pre-delivery. Shimano Dura-Ace and Vittoria Corsa tyres ain't cheap... unlike me.

Astana development team rider Savelii Laptev has been suspended by the UCI over online support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Insidethegames reports. Laptev, from Ekaterinburg in Russia, has been defended by his father who said it is all "a misunderstanding" and his social media was hacked.

Riders from Russia and Belarus can compete as neutral athletes as long as they do not show support for the invasion on social media or in interviews. Laptev's father explained how the UCI contacted his son after he "allegedly liked posts on social networks regarding the political situation".

"Savelii has already sent a letter to the international union, in which he explained that he had nothing to do with this. I don't understand how this could happen, probably his account was hacked.

"As far as I understand, the trial is underway, but for Savelii and the whole team, the letter that came on Friday about the impossibility of confirming the neutral status caused great surprise. He has no starts planned for the next 10 days, so it's hard for me to say whether he can continue to continue to ride for Astana.

"The team is also dealing with this issue, all the necessary explanations were provided by its representatives."

In example number 17,549 of 'professional cyclists showing just how much better they are than us', here's how Tadej Pogačar eased himself back into outdoor training post-wrist fracture...

Just the 97 miles there, at altitude, in 40°C heat, climbing more than 4,000m of elevation at an average speed of 19mph (30.5km/h)... oh, and titled 'Vrum vrum', of course. Only fair to point out the two-time Tour champ hasn't been sat on the sofa for the last two months (well, he might have been outside of training hours, to be fair) getting a bit of work done on the home trainer and by running...

"I lost some training and couldn't do much on the road in the last four weeks. So I need to focus more on the intervals and long training sessions outside," he said on Friday.

"I've been training quite well on the home trainer and running. The shape is not as bad as I thought it was going to be after training on the rollers, and the wrist is getting better every day. And now I'll try to get as much as possible out of this camp here.

"Hopefully I will be 100 per cent for the Tour. Maybe the wrist will not be at 100 per cent, but I think the legs can be – you don't need wrists to train the legs."

On the racing front, the 24-year-old has scrapped his usual Tour of Slovenia tune-up appearance and instead will stay at altitude with his team at Sierra Nevada and Alpine training camps, only pinning on a number twice – at Slovenian TT champs and the national road race – before the Grand Départ in Bilbao.

Jamie and Mat have been out at the Dauphiné, snapping pics of unreleased bikes (I know, they've got a tough life)...

> New Ridley road bike breaks cover at Critérium du Dauphiné

> BMC prototype aero superbike spotted at Dauphiné

They also spotted a certain defending Tour de France champion's Cervélo, with some rather eye-catching SRAM 1x à la Primož Roglič at the Giro...

> Is Vingegaard going 1x for the Tour de France? Reigning Tour champion ditches a chainring at the Critérium du Dauphiné

And so I guess the natural next question is... should we be copying the world's best and ditching our front mechs?

> Should you run a 1x set-up on your road bike?