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Chris Froome says time at Ineos had become like "copy and pasting"; Council pledges net zero carbon goal an hour before announcing bike lane removal; Champs-Élysées to be an 'extraordinary garden'; Machine fixes potholes in 8 mins + more on the live blog

Happy Monday, it's the start of the new week and Dan Alexander is here with your first live blog of the week...
Mon, Jan 11, 2021 09:04
24
Chris Froome says time at Ineos had become like "copy and pasting"; Council pledges net zero carbon goal an hour before announcing bike lane removal; Champs-Élysées to be an 'extraordinary garden'; Machine fixes potholes in 8 mins + more on the live blog2021 Chris Froome - via Israel Start-Up Nation
11 January 2021, 16:37
Chris Froome relishing Israel Start-Up Nation challenge, and compares later years at Ineos to "copy and pasting"

In his first interview since he joined Israel Start-Up Nation, Chris Froome says that he expects to end his career with the team.

“It was a pretty big decision to join ISN”, said Froome.

“After the discussions with Sylvain the team owner, we came to the conclusion - especially changing at this point in my career after having being with one team for 11 years - we agreed that joining ISN, this is a commitment I’m not just going to make for a year or two. This is a commitment until the end of my career, and possibly even beyond that.

“Year after year with the same team, it’s almost been copy and paste, copy and pasting, year on year. And changing teams at this time in my career is going to give me so much more mental stimulation and motivation. It’s a whole new change, a new project and a new chapter. It does feel quite rejuvenating for me.”

Froome explains that he’s been out in California preparing for the 2021 season, both on the road and at the Red Bull High Performance Centre to address “imbalances and weaknesses” left over from his horror crash in 2019.

He added: “My goals haven’t changed. I want to get back to that top level, I want to be fighting for victories at the Tour de France and other Grand Tours.

“I’m really looking forward to getting the 2021 season underway now, and hopefully this is going to be the beginning of a long, successful partnership going forward.”

11 January 2021, 17:12
Danny MacAskill gym video one year on
11 January 2021, 16:33
11 January 2021, 15:34
'Hypocrisy': Council pledges net zero carbon goal one hour before confirming works to rip out bike lane
West Sussex County Council tweets

You couldn't make it up (or maybe you could considering last week's events)... Just one hour after West Sussex County Council shared a tweet with links to their plan to become net carbon zero by 2030, they tweeted again. This time confirming that works to remove the Shoreham cycleway will begin this week...

The replies sum up the mood...

Last week, a Freedom of Information request found that the councillor who made the decision to scrap the cycle lane had never officialy seen it...Cycling UK has launched a judicial review on the decision to remove the cycleway and every school in Shoreham has co-signed a letter asking for it to be kept.

11 January 2021, 15:15
11 January 2021, 14:36
New cycling infrastructure in Sheffield

Here's a nice thread about some of the new cyling infrastructure that's been built in Sheffield...

11 January 2021, 14:24
Insync Bikes trebles sales in 2020 thanks to cycling boom
Insync Bikes (via press release)

Manchester bike brand Insync Bikes trebled sales during 2020, selling more than 50,000 bikes – 200% more than in 2019. The increase in sales was driven by a surge in demand for bikes during the pandemice as people sought healthier and safer modes of transport and exercise. Head of business Gopal Krishan said that the women's hybrid and mountain bikes as well as affordable children's bikes saw "unprecedented levels of demand".

He said: "We are delighted with the success we have achieved during 2020, which reflects the soaring popularity of cycling as a pastime for the whole family. We now plan to double the sales in 2021 with a focus on a premium range of bikes and new range e-bikes."

11 January 2021, 14:05
Vincenzo Nibali, Caleb Ewan and Nairo Quintana confirm Tour de France ambitions for 2021
Caleb Ewan wins Tour de France 2020 Stage 11 POOL/Cor Vos © 2020

There was plenty of news about race schedules for 2021 over the weekend. Australian sprinter Caleb Ewan has set out an ambitious programme for the upcoming season that he hopes will see him win a stage at each of the Grand Tours as well as the green jersey at the Tour de France. Speaking to Belgian outlet Het Nieuwsblad, he explained that the 2021 Tour route offers more opportunities for the sprinters than in recent years.

"The Tour offers more options for sprinters this year and that is an opportunity for me. In other years I was not involved in that green battle and I only aimed for stage victories. But that is one of my goals in 2021 (winning a stage at each Grand Tour). Just like the green jersey, by the way," he explained.

Joining Ewan at the Tour will be Vincenzo Nibali and Nairo Quintana who both confirmed they would be targeting the race. Quintana does not expect to race for the first three months of the year but did not rule out racing both the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France.

Trek-Segafredo also outlined their leaders' ambitions. Nibali and Bauke Mollema are to ride the Giro-Tour double, while Giulio Ciccone will get a shot at team leadership at the Vuelta a España. Ciccone will also ride the Giro in a support role.

11 January 2021, 14:05
11 January 2021, 13:26
Oh oh Hirschi comes: Social media reaction as UAE Emirates confirm Marc Hirschi signing
11 January 2021, 12:30
Did you get out on the bike over the weekend? How did you interpret the Government guidance?
Cycling dos and don'ts comments

We had plenty of new comments under our updated cycling dos and don'ts in a time of pandemic – how to be a responsible cyclist story over the weekend and, at least where I am, there seemed to be fewer cyclists about than in either of the previous two lockdowns. Granted, this may have had something to do with the unfriendly temperatures but I'm interested to hear what your experiences were over the weekend...Did you notice a change in how many people were out riding? And did you change your plans after hearing government guidance? I can see a few local riders to me on Strava sticking close to home or training on the turbo while others appeared to carry on as usual.

Cycling dos and don'ts comments

 

11 January 2021, 12:26
11 January 2021, 11:51
Poll time: Should the Tour de France move away from the traditional final stage on the Champs-Élysées?
 
Should the Tour de France move away from the Champs-Élysées?

Yes, it's time to try something new
No, keep the traditional final stage
 
 
 
 
 
 
11 January 2021, 11:30
Paris Mayor agrees to turn Champs-Élysées into an 'extraordinary garden'
Champs-Élysées development (via PCA Stream video)

The mayor of Paris has committed £225 million to a development of the Champs-Élysées ahead of the 2024 Olympics. Anne Hidalgo hopes the work will turn the mile-long avenue into an "extraordinary garden". The Guardian reports the Champs-Élysées committee has been lobbying for a major redevelopment since 2018 to overcome the pollution and heavy traffic that visitors to the central Parisian avenue experience currently.

In 2019, the committee president Jean-Noël Reinhardt said: "It’s often called the world’s most beautiful avenue, but those of us who work here every day are not at all sure about that. The Champs-Élysées has more and more visitors and big-name businesses battle to be on it, but to French people it’s looking worn out."

The plans also include a makeover for the Place de la Concorde at the south east of the avenue as well as the area surrounding the Eiffel Tower. Cycling fans have wondered what the plans might mean for the traditional final stage of the Tour de France which famously finishes on the Champs-Elysées. From the initial pictures, it looks like there will still be a central road on the avenue wide enough for a bike race. But what do you think? Should the Tour try something new and finish the race away from the Champs-Elysées?

Champs-Élysées development (via PCA Stream video)
11 January 2021, 10:12
Jeremy Vine rides penny farthing on new cycleway

Another penny farthing rider in London made it onto the blog just after Christmas when a DPD driver cut across him in Stoke Newington causing this crash. Unperturbed, Jeremy Vine took to the streets of west London yesterday including the new Chiswick Cycleway 9... In May, Jeremy shared a video on social media claiming to be the first person to cycle up the redesigned Park Lane on a penny farthing.

11 January 2021, 09:37
Wout van Aert dedicates fourth Belgian cyclo-cross title to son Georges

Yesterday Wout van Aert won his first bike race since the birth of his son to claim his fourth national cyclo-cross title. The three-time world champion rode solo for the majority of the race and saw off a spirited Toon Aerts who finished second. After the race, Van Aert joked that he'd barely slept all week and dedicated the win to his son Georges and wife Sarah.

Jumbo-Visma teammate Tom Dumoulin will ride the Tour of Flanders in 2021, presumably in support of Van Aert, for the first time since 2012. Wielerflits reports the Dutchman will sacrifice the Ardennes Classics to ride E3 Saxo Bank Classic and Flanders before regrouping for the Tour de France.

11 January 2021, 09:10
Happy Monday!
11 January 2021, 08:56
JCB launches pothole-repairing machine that can fill holes in eight minutes for half the price

In 2019, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request showed that one cyclist a week is killed or seriously injured by defects, such as potholes, on Britain's roads. Now, JCB has launched a new machine for filling in hazards, that takes less time and is cheaper than current repairs. The PotholePro has been trialled in England for the past few months and JCB claims it is the most efficient way of repairing holes.

In one trial in Stoke-on-Trent, potholes were filled in less than eight minutes — 700% quicker than before. The machine costs £145,000 and the manufacturer says it halves the cost of repairs used by councils.

"We simply cannot allow our road network to continue to be blighted by potholes," JCB chairman Lord Bamford said. "JCB's solution is simple and cost effective and fixes potholes permanently, first time. Once the machine has done its job all the contractor then needs to do is just add tar."

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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24 comments

Avatar
Bungle_52 | 3 years ago
0 likes

Re West Sussex

"The County Council’s approach to adapting to climate change and becoming net carbon zero by 2030 will be examined by the Environment and Communities Scrutiny Committee at a meeting this morning."

I think we can imagine what that approach will be : Tick boxes when money from central government becomes available then return to the status quo asap after we've taken our cut.

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brooksby | 3 years ago
1 like

How did you interpret Govt guidance?  Better Ask Boris...

Johnson under pressure to explain why he went for cycle ride seven miles from No 10 (Guardian live blog)

The Evening Standard has a good exclusive today. It reports that Boris Johnson went for a cycle ride around the Olympic Park on Sunday, seven miles from Downing Street.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnson-cycle-7-miles-dow...

This is awkward. As government officials were telling the Guardian only this morning (see 12.49pm), the advice is that when exercising you should you “should stay local in the village, town, or part of the city where you live”.

At the Downing Street lobby briefing the prime minister’s spokesman did not have an answer as to why the PM thought that going seven miles away from home was consistent with the spirit of the rules - although he indicated that he would come back with a proper response later.

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Jenova20 replied to brooksby | 3 years ago
0 likes

Considering the outdoor exercise rules were that you could exercise for 1 hour outside, then 7 miles on a bicycle isn't bad. Even 7 miles there and 7 miles back is easily doable in an hour.

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mdavidford replied to Jenova20 | 3 years ago
9 likes

Jenova20 wrote:

Considering the outdoor exercise rules were that you could exercise for 1 hour

They weren't.

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IanMK replied to Jenova20 | 3 years ago
0 likes

That's not the accusation. The accusation is that he drove or was driven 7 miles to cycle around a park. It's totally flouting all the messaging that whitty and Hancock have been putting out all day. Stay Local, don't travel out of your local area for exercise, act as if you have Covid.

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Sriracha replied to brooksby | 3 years ago
14 likes

I think we should cut the guy some slack. If more of those in power came to the attention of the press upon a bicycle that can only be a good thing.

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hawkinspeter replied to Sriracha | 3 years ago
12 likes

Sriracha wrote:

I think we should cut the guy some slack. If more of those in power came to the attention of the press upon a bicycle that can only be a good thing.

Agreed. I'm certainly no fan of him, but he's out getting exercise and the more that cycling is normalised, the better for everyone.

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HarrogateSpa replied to Sriracha | 3 years ago
3 likes

I don't mind him going for a bike ride. More generally, that monumental twat has been cut way too much slack.

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Hirsute replied to brooksby | 3 years ago
0 likes

He was going to inspect the Chiswick High Road bike lane to explain why it should remain but took a wrong turning and got lost.

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PRSboy replied to brooksby | 3 years ago
1 like

Best in my view to keep quiet, in case too much media focus falls on the relative freedom currently allowed to cyclists!

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spen | 3 years ago
1 like

That JCB is impressive except that what it's shown doing isn't filling a pot hole but preparing to patch an area of carriageway.  Two men slopping a bit of tar in a hole would still be far more ecconomical so that 's what'll continue to happen with pot holes.

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Moist von Lipwig replied to spen | 3 years ago
0 likes

Theres a bit if discrepancy between whats shown in the final shot and what actually happens - the JCB looks like its planed out a full lane (which is good - ideally you don't want joints in wheel tracks) in reality, a 1m x 1m square is (sometimes) cut around the hole, depending on where its located, it could have the edge repeatedly run over which will contribute to earlier failure. Irrepsective of that a small amount of material will always be more susceptible to failure than the surrounding carriageway

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mdavidford replied to Moist von Lipwig | 3 years ago
1 like

To be fair to JCB, I don't think the video is supposed to suggest that it's showing a single repair operation - it's just illustrating the different parts of the job that the machine can do. It's the Mail and Road.cc that have confused the issue by embedding it under headlines about repairing potholes in record time, implying that it's showing one quick repair.

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spen replied to mdavidford | 3 years ago
0 likes

Using this machine to fill a pothole would mean that you'd also have the added bureaucracy of applying for a street works permit as it cuts the road surface, sloppping in tarmac doesn't need one.

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mdavidford replied to spen | 3 years ago
0 likes

?

Is the reply threading system up the spout again?

Not sure how that's relevant to what I said?

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Sriracha | 3 years ago
1 like

Cycled on Saturday as normal, but went as two couples instead of the usual foursome. Separate routes and start times, so not just a semantic rearrangement. Otherwise all much as before, a 20 mile circuit stopping nowhere. Probably slightly fewer cyclists about than previously, but pro-rata the drop in temperature I'd say numbers were up.

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IanMK replied to Sriracha | 3 years ago
2 likes

21 mile solo loop for me on Sunday. Given the temperatures at the moment, I would try to get out Saturday and Sunday and do max 50miles over the two days. Saturday was like freezing fog all day so I gave it a miss. I will continiue to ride solo and not stop for non-essential coffee fix. Agreed, fewer cyclists out and most were riding solo.

BTW, I went out for a walk on Saturday and was quite shocked by the level of traffic on the local A road. 

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Awavey | 3 years ago
6 likes

For me it's less about how quickly we can fill potholes as it is how long the repair actually lasts for.

As my impression from the weekends government sanctioned travel, and it's not that weve even had a harsh winter here,is that all the holes & debris that are now littering the local roads and turning them into slalom courses, are largely the result of previous fills,some done within the last year, that have simply let water in and broken down with the first frost/ice.

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Mungecrundle replied to Awavey | 3 years ago
5 likes

I've noticed a surge in pothole fixing following Royal weddings. I'm pretty sure that the local council uses left over icing from the cake as the repairs usually only last until the next episode of bad weather.

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TheBillder replied to Mungecrundle | 3 years ago
1 like

Yeah, they should switch to dried Weetabix.

The current Private Eye has a cartoon about wild swimming in potholes. As well as continued anti LTN spoutings.

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Hirsute replied to Awavey | 3 years ago
4 likes

That's my bugbear too. The quality of work is too often poor - how do these things get signed off? I see too many 'collapsed reinstatements'.

Tangentially, I'll mention the local rag had someone complaining cyclists are not paying enough for roads. Apparently councils surface them to a higher standard to accommodate cyclists, so cyclists should pay the extra !!

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ChasP replied to Awavey | 3 years ago
3 likes

Once the machine has done its job all the contractor then needs to do is just add tar." 

I think that's where a lot of the problems are as you say, they're often not being sealed properly. On the other hand excessive tar can be slippery when wet. 

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peted76 | 3 years ago
0 likes

Three cheers for JCB! Huzzah!! 

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hawkinspeter | 3 years ago
18 likes

A piece of tarmac from the M4 walks into a pub just outside London. As he heads to the bar, he sees another piece of tarmac at one end, and realizes that it is an old mate from the M25 he hasn't seen in years. They get drinks, sit at a table by the window, and proceed to catch up - talking about the weather, potholes, and how bad the M25 is as compared with the M4.

M4 glances out at the street, and sees a bit of red tarmac coming up the path to the pub. M25 follows his glance, grabs M4 and whispers urgently "toilet, NOW". As the toilet door closes, the pub door slams open, and from that point on all the bits of tarmac can hear are crashing furniture, breaking glass and shouting.

After about 15 minutes, things get quiet, and the two bits of tarmac emerge into the now-shambolic pub.

"What was that about?", M4 asked.

"Oh", replied M25. "That red tarmac, he's just a bit of a cyclepath"

 

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