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"Don't cycle through Pill without expecting raging locals": more reports of 'vigilantes' making up lockdown rules; Froome seeing "a lot of negativity" over TDF dates; Bianchi named official bike of Giro d'Italia; Rapha facemask + more on the live blog

Tuesday's live blog is brought to you courtesy of Jack Sexty, with Simon MacMichael making some contributions later this evening...
UPDATED Wed, Apr 15, 2020 19:11
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"Don't cycle through Pill without expecting raging locals": more reports of 'vigilantes' making up lockdown rules; Froome seeing "a lot of negativity" over TDF dates; Bianchi named official bike of Giro d'Italia; Rapha facemask + more on the live blogRoad junction A40 in Pembrokeshire - wiki commons
15 April 2020, 15:11
Cyclist says lorry driver "hurled abuse" because she was cycling during lockdown

Laura Clements, a reporter for Wales Online, said that the lorry driver began sounding his horn as she rode downhill, causing her to wobble as she looked behind her. The driver stopped further along and objected to her riding during the lockdown, claiming she was creating a risk for the NHS. 

Ms Clements continued: "Before I parted ways with the angry driver, I pointed to his protruding belly and asked what he was doing to keep fit and healthy and suggested we should resume the conversation after he had tried some exercise himself.

"With that, I clipped back in and headed back down the road to cycle the three miles home."

15 April 2020, 14:58
Bianchi becomes official bike of the Giro d'Italia

Which is all well and good, although we're not actually sure when the next Giro will be after today's announcements... but even so, pink and celeste together at last. 

15 April 2020, 14:46
Cycling UK hosting Lizzie Deignan at 7pm for latest instalment of "An Audience With" series

Host Anna Glowinski spoke to Alex Dowsett and his partner Chanel last week, and tonight at 7pm it's the turn of one of Britain's most successful road cyclists. The link to watch on YouTube is above, and you can see the schedule of upcoming interviewees here. 

15 April 2020, 12:25
Cyclists allegedly warned to expect "raging locals" if they ride through Somerset village
bristol cyclists group pill locals facebook screen - 15 April.PNG

The post on the Bristol Cyclists Facebook page warned that "raging locals" in the village of Pill in North Somerset are preparing to patrol the area, amid claims that cyclists are arriving in droves and "having picnics on the green" on a cycle route that stretches from the village to the city of Bristol. 

The post above also refers to "2 miles from home exercise guidelines", which to our knowledge does not exist in the United Kingdom; the post has now been removed from the page, but was screenshotted and posted on Twitter. 

Another post claims that locals have alerted Avon and Somerset Police to the number of cyclists around the area, and that they are "looking into the situation"; road.cc have contacted Avon and Somerset Police for comment. 

15 April 2020, 14:31
TfL is considering making more space available for cyclists and pedestrians on major roads it controls in the capital
15 April 2020, 13:05
Chris Froome "seeing a lot of negativity" over new Tour dates and UCI schedule

The four-time Tour de France winner is presumably referring to the sceptisism over the new timetable, which will see the Tour de France taking place between 29th August-20th September, with the road world champs set for the end of September, followed by the Vuelta and the Giro. Froome also ssets out the expected schedule in a reply to one of the comments under his original post... 

15 April 2020, 14:22
Do you know someone deserving of a new ride? If so, Cyclescheme want to hear from you
15 April 2020, 13:01
Riding like it's 1955

With traffic down to 1950's levels, why not ride a bike from the same era?

15 April 2020, 11:22
More reports of locals devising their own lockdown rules

We'll move away from Grand Tour news to more reports of the government's lockdown recommendations being interpreted in ways they perhaps weren't intended to be; with the above sign simply telling all cyclists to "go home"... not really the same as the official advice that says cycling outdoors is allowed as part of your daily exercise. 

Terry Reeves on Twitter also claims this sign was put up by a pub landlord in Sundridge, Kent, with another landlord allegedly stopping cyclists and threatening to call the police. 

We've also been alerted to a letter to the editor on the Bournemouth Echo website, in which the writer claims she has "never seen so many cyclists of all ages out on the roads", and recommends the police stop them and ask where their home address is; she also wrongly states that (sic) "its only pairs allowed out, not families of 4-8 people, half with no helmets and tiny kids wobbling all over the main road."​

The writer continues to guess that 80% are "well outside their boundaries and are going on family days out", and claims she saw (sic) "a group of four people cycling from Ringwood down the duel carriageway the other afternoon."

Cycling on a dual carriageway is legal in the UK. 

15 April 2020, 14:22
The new wheels bring the easy of clincher tyres to a wheel that, in its tubular form, is very popular with Fulcrum’s sponsored World Tour teams
15 April 2020, 11:20
Christian Prudhomme confirming rearranged Tour de France schedule

The director appeared on France TV to deliver the news, with Le Tour now taking place between 29th August - 20th September. 

15 April 2020, 11:08
G's live stream

You can watch the 'action' here if you're really at a loose end... 

15 April 2020, 11:10
The earlier speculation has now been confirmed, Le Tour will start on 29th August
15 April 2020, 10:42
Bored during lockdown? Try BMX'ing with an exercise ball on your back
15 April 2020, 09:47
Reports that Tour de France set to start on 29th August
Tour de France logo.jpg

Although we haven't seen official confirmation from ASO yet, the Dutch publication NOS* is reporting that they have 'confirmed' Le Tour will start on 29th August and finish on 20th September. That doesn't tally with reports in Marca that speculated an August Tour de France, September Vuelta and October Giro d'Italia; but with ASO also organising the Vuelta, you'd expect the dates of the Spanish grand tour to be announced alongside the Tour de France. Where will the Giro fit in? It's anyone's guess right now... 

*We've since learned that the original source was Le Dauphine. 

15 April 2020, 10:00
Marin colouring book header 1
Marin colouring competition - win your dream Marin

Keep the kids entertained with this colouring competition from Marin, plus they might just win you a custom bike!

Marin colouring competition - win your dream Marin
15 April 2020, 09:19
Frome hints at "big news" from the Tour de France Organisers

We'll be keeping an eye on this one.

Maybe they'll be running it on Zwift...Or maybe not. As we reported yesterday the big rumour is that because of the continued lockdown in France the Tour will be postponed until August, with the Vuelta and Giro following on in successive months. Sounds like we'll be finding out soon. 

15 April 2020, 08:15
Turning a musette bag into a facemask

We've all heard about celebrities flocking to buy the most expensive commercially-available facemask... but none quite carry the prestige of a Rapha-branded one, obviously. 

Everyone's favourite cycling brand that is renowned for not being very cheap didn't actually have a part to play in the making of this one now proudly owned by cycling commentator Chris Carlson; rather it was transformed from a musette bag into something more practical for the strange times we're living in. Is Mr Carlson's mother sitting on a goldmine? One of his pals thinks so...

15 April 2020, 08:11
Geraint Thomas starts his 'Zwift Shifts' to raise cash for the NHS

The 2018 Tour de France champ has set off on his first of three 12 hour 'Zwift Shifts', with a target of £100,000 on his GoFundMe page to go to the Association of NHS Charities. The Facebook live stream is here and you can donate here. 

15 April 2020, 13:21

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Jack Sexty

Jack has been writing about cycling and multisport for over a decade, arriving at road.cc via 220 Triathlon Magazine in 2017. He worked across all areas of the website including tech, news and video, and also contributed to eBikeTips before being named Editor of road.cc in 2021 (much to his surprise). Jack has been hooked on cycling since his student days, and currently has a Trek 1.2 for winter riding, a beloved Bickerton folding bike for getting around town and an extra beloved custom Ridley Helium SLX for fantasising about going fast in his stable. Jack has never won a bike race, but does have a master's degree in print journalism and two Guinness World Records for pogo sticking (it's a long story). 

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70 comments

Avatar
Captain Badger replied to Legin | 4 years ago
4 likes

You're right about the giants, although it is up to the government to ensure that companies pay their dues. Our governments have repeatedly failed to even attempt to do this.

As for individuals who wriggle out of paying tax in spite of having more money than they can possibly need or use, I have no sympathy when the light shines on them.

 

Avatar
Rik Mayals unde... replied to Legin | 4 years ago
2 likes

G is being used as an example, as he is a cyclist, (this is a cylcing forum) who has made a hell of a lot of money and has chosen to live in a tax haven. There's more who pay experts to find loopholes in the tax system. Remember the little angel Gary Barlow?

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Rich_cb replied to ktache | 4 years ago
0 likes

Do you have proof that he doesn't pay UK tax on his earnings?

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HarrogateSpa replied to Rich_cb | 4 years ago
0 likes

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/golden-geraint-to-quit-brit...

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Rich_cb replied to HarrogateSpa | 4 years ago
0 likes

An unnamed source in the Daily Star.

Well, you have set the bar pretty high there.

Living in Monaco doesn't necessarily absolve you from paying UK taxes.

The fact he has a business here and a family home here means he's quite likely to pay tax in the UK.

Unless you're his accountant you have no idea how much tax he pays and where.

Avatar
ktache replied to Rich_cb | 4 years ago
1 like

Of course, he's moved into the fantastically expensive Monaco because he really enjoys the company of millionaire and billionaire tax exiles, wants them as his neighbours and really wants the chance to bump into the wonderful Phillip Green down the cafe, not to, in any way minimise the quantity of tax he pays.

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Rich_cb replied to ktache | 4 years ago
0 likes

Maybe he wants to avoid double taxation on some of his earnings?

You don't know.

You can't know.

Would you want to pay tax twice on your salary?

The fact that he seems to be UK based for a reasonable amount of time each year and has significant ties to the UK means he likely to be liable for UK tax in some form.

As an aside, people who live in tax havens are another hate group for The Guardian, you're nicely demonstrating the Pavlovian response common in their readership.

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ktache replied to Rich_cb | 4 years ago
0 likes

And unless you are his accountant, you cannot know and it's pure speculation on your part.

It's almost as though you don't even understand your own posts.

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Rich_cb replied to ktache | 4 years ago
0 likes

You claimed he didn't pay UK tax.

You have no proof of that.

I pointed that out to you.

You made the assertion, hence you need to provide evidence.

Is that put in simple enough terms for you to understand?

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peted76 | 4 years ago
0 likes

Geeze that's some faff of a set up in G's garage... I bet when he had the idea he didn't realise he'd need all that gear.  Fair play to him though, it'll be great aerobic boosting training and doing some good for the NHS.

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