Queue behind cyclist sparks debate about letting drivers past; Sir Chris Hoy's "very private" wasp sting; UK Grand Depart; Hi-vis handouts part of road safety campaign; Close pass op; Steep climbs; Tour of Britain summit finish + more on the live blog

How to make the Great Orme look easy, by @TrinityRacing_’s @chrisblevs !#TourOfBritain 🟢🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/biN9X4P0Kf

— AJ Bell Tour of Britain 🇬🇧 (@TourofBritain) September 8, 2021

Not everyone found that last climb so hard. Trinity Racing's Chris Blevins made light work of the steepest slopes...deciding he doesn't need a front wheel anyway. Perhaps he was inspired by the opening stage hero. No, not Wout van Aert. That kid spotted popping a wheelie to get on TV. 

Billed as the ultimate gravel festival, the inaugural King's Cup Gravel Festival will see thousands of riders descend on the King's Forest, Suffolk, to take part in a Gravel Fondo and Gravel Race for the British Gravel Championships. Beyond the competitive stuff, there'll also be live music and camping to celebrate all things gravel. It is in the calendar for the weekend of the 18th to 19th September...

@WoutvanAert wins stage four of the @AJBell Tour of Britain 🇬🇧 atop the Great Orme!

📺 Watch the stage live on ITV4#TourOfBritain 🔴🟢⚪ pic.twitter.com/EUVoPpFn7M

— AJ Bell Tour of Britain 🇬🇧 (@TourofBritain) September 8, 2021

How good was that? The final climb didn't disappoint, leaving Wout van Aert and Julian Alaphilippe, two of the world's best, slumped by the roadside in visible physical pain. Way to make us feel better about our own fitness, guys...

Michael Woods lit up the stage with a big attack on the steepest 20 per cent slopes of the final climb to Great Orme. Race leader Ethan Hayter slipped backwards, riding conservatively at his own pace. Near the top, Alaphilippe hit out trying desperately to drop Van Aert before the flatter final section.

The Belgian stood firm and Hayter somehow managed to claw his way back to the front group, but was quickly distanced by the next surge in pace. With the finish line looming, Alaphilippe took flight at 200m to go. Van Aert pulled level at 100m and clawed his way past in the final metres. Incredible drama. What. A. Stage.

How hard was that, lads?

Julian Alaphilippe, Wout van Aert and Ethan Hayter all show the effort of today. Van Aert won the stage and took the race lead with it, on bonus points pic.twitter.com/ZmvoH6Uwvw

— adam becket (@adambecket) September 8, 2021

#TourOfBritain Wout van Aert y Julian Alaphilippe ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ECSHkB5yhu

— Hernán Bustos Mella (@Hernan_Ale15) September 8, 2021

Yesterday we briefly mentioned British Cycling's strategy for growing the sport during the upcoming Olympic campaign, off the back of yet more success in Tokyo. Hosting flagship events was one area highlighted by CEO Brian Facer. He said: "Absolutely, I would like to see that come back again and I'm fairly sure that ASO and the Tour de France would like to see it come back again. We're a great cycling nation now and there's a real appetite for us. We’d be supportive if there were conversations going on."

The UK hosted the 2014 Grand Depart and turned down the opportunity to host it in 2017. Next year's race will begin from Copenhagen, and Bilbao is already in the books as the start point for 2023. 2024 is reportedly likely to be back in France, but could 2025 be our year?

North East Road Policing officers carried out Operation #closepass in Elgin yesterday. Six drivers passed the unmarked cyclist too close and were stopped. All Road Policing units carry out these operations, so please give cyclists space and don't be the next driver stopped. pic.twitter.com/VBilSvp5ot

— Road Policing Scotland (@polscotrpu) September 8, 2021

Here's the results of some more unmarked cyclist operations, this time by Road Policing Scotland. Back in April we covered West Midlands Police's Operation Close Pass, which also used 'undercover' cyclists to spot dangerous drivers making unsafe passes.

In that case, 36 drivers were stopped, two received penalty tickets and 17 given roadside education. Road Policing Scotland says six drivers were stopped by the North East team in Elgin and that all their departments will be carrying out similar operations.

A cyclist was airlifted to hospital at around midday on Monday after suffering injuries in a mountain biking crash at BikePark Wales in Merthyr Tydfil. Wales Online reports the man was flown to University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff with head and chest injuries, a displaced clavicle and an increased respiratory rate. Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team said the man was drifting in and out of consciousness.

In a statement, Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team said: "Working in conjunction with the BikePark Wales staff, the helicopters winchman paramedic and the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust Hazardous Area Response Team the casualty was packaged and loaded on to the aircraft for onwards transfer to hospital. With our thanks to everyone present who helped, we wish the gentleman a speedy recovery."

Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership is asking all road users to please #ShareTheSpace as part of a national campaign that aims to improve the safety of cyclists, pedestrians, horse riders and motorcyclists using the county’s roads. @WarksPolice @OPUWarks https://t.co/KsSRmZbQsz

— Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership (@WarksRoadSafety) September 7, 2021

Warwickshire Police this week launched its #ShareTheSpace campaign as part of the wider national NPCC campaign between 6-19 September aiming to increase safety for all road users.

The force says it will be handing out hi-vis tabards and other hi-vis items carrying the 'Let's Share The Space' branding...

In other cases they'll be sending Community Speed Watch groups out to monitor speeds in local communities, as well as "asking the public to be aware of less protected road users."

However, that's just "part of the picture" they say, and advice will also be offered to cyclists, walkers, horse riders and bikers about how they can stay safe too. One likely positive from this is increased emphasis on reporting and submitting digital footage of dangerous driving via Operation Snap.

PS Shaun Bridle said “Pedestrians, cyclists, bikers and horse riders do not have a metal shell around them like a driver does sitting in a vehicle and even relatively minor contact can seriously injure them.  That’s why they need vehicles to ‘ShareTheSpace’ on the roads and pass pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and horse riders wide and slow.

“September is a peak month for motorcycle collisions and that’s why the campaign is happening now.  The campaign also coincides with children returning to school after the summer break.”

Looking into the autumn, Chair and Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire Philip Seccombe says the emphasis will be developing their 'Strategy to 2030' by encouraging cyclists, and other road users, to respond to the public consultation.

The spotlight will then turn to the upcoming Highway Code changes, which Warwickshire Police says it welcomes. The changes include a new hierarchy of road users that ensures those who can do greatest harm hold greatest responsibility. The force says it is also expecting guidance on safe passing distances and speeds, as well as ensuring cyclists have priority at junctions when travelling straight ahead.