“An unwelcome visit from Santa’s little helpers”: Cyclist reports close-passing driver who “just had to hold back for 10 seconds”, but gets accused of “hogging the road” by not “riding single file”; Van der Poel’s new Lamborghini + more on the live blog

No, not the elves, not even the wee dog from The Simpsons, but apparently a cyclist has been getting a bashing on Twitter after they posted a video of a driver who close-passed a group riding two-abreast with oncoming traffic in County Downs… for the age-old lampoons of “hogging the whole lane” and “not riding single file”.

The cyclist, who goes by the username of CountyDownCycling on social media, shared the video of the close pass which took place during their training ride on the A2, near the entrance to Murlough beach on the road to Dundrum, near Newcastle in Northern Ireland, writing that the driver “will get an unwelcome visit from Santa’s little helpers after this Christmas Eve”.

> Why do cyclists ride two abreast?

Driver of SEAT reg BEZ1182 will get an unwelcome visit from Santa’s little helpers after this Christmas Eve #ClosePass 👮 #OpSnap pic.twitter.com/3J0fzsHc0A

— CountyDownCycling (@CyclingDown) December 24, 2024

However, while cyclists commenting under the post were more concerned about in Northern Ireland’s close pass reporting services, others found fault in the cyclists riding two-abreast.

“Shouldn’t be hogging the whole lane in your wee pack.”

“You should be riding single file for starters.”

“Poor pass but just do the decent thing and ride single file. There is no need to fill the whole side of the road up. That is selfish really and so frustrating as a driver when you can’t pass. You won’t concede that you would be equally frustrated I know that.”

The ironic thing here, is of course the median strip with hatched markings, implying that drivers shouldn’t be entering the zone between the lanes unless necessary, and most would agree that overtaking seven cyclists riding two-abreast — and that too with oncoming traffic — wouldn’t arbitrarily fall into that category.

> “I will always ride two abreast”: Pro cyclist stopped and fined by Italian police for cycling two abreast, as he says “I’d rather pay the fine than risk ending up under another car”

While one person seemed to point this issue out, they still made out that both the cyclists and drivers were in the wrong: “Riding two abreast when there is a hazard strip is an offence, isn’t it, causing an obstruction. But the driver shouldn’t overtake and cross into the hazard strip or drive so close. Both cyclists and driver at fault.”

Replying to a person who accused the cyclist of “racing with his pals on a public road”, the cyclist explained: “We weren’t racing, it was a leisurely training ride. If we wanted to race we would go to a licensed event. The driver just had to hold back for 10 secs and the road widens round the bend with plenty of overtaking space and clear view. Instead, he went for it with oncoming traffic.”

At least a few people seemed to sympathise with the cyclist. One Twitter user wrote: “I live close to that section of road and that’s approaching a bend so poor driving there from the motorist.”

Another person said: “Endless ‘rIDe sIngLe FiLe’ nonsense from people who shouldn’t be on the roads. You would have all overtaken a twenty-metre-long train of cyclists too close just like you do to lone cyclists. I think I’ll consider getting a camera next year so I can report you all too.”

Yet another person said: “The cesspit of responses to this recorded dangerous driving clearly demonstrates why there is a significant way to go before drivers realise they must obey the law. Poor policing and levels of enforcement are contributory.”

What do you make of the close pass? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…

The iconic, fearsome Italian mountain Mortirolo, where Marco ‘Il Pirata’ Pantani made his mark on the global stage winning his second stage in as many days during the 1994 Giro d’Italia, could close down to cyclists in 2025 if a request made by a campaign is accepted in order to resurface the road and improve safety for cyclists.

The Friends of Mortirolo have launched an appeal for the proposed closure of the Foppa pass to cyclists departing from Mazzo, demanding new alsphalt and widening of the road, which has now been taken up by the Comunità montana di Tirano.

The group said: “We knew perfectly well that the request we presented to the municipal administration of Mazzo regarding the closure of the iconic Mortirolo climb would cause a stir. Much has been said and written even at a national level, sometimes inappropriately. We appreciated the exhortation made by [journalist] Beppe Conti who in a simple and clear way asked those responsible to finance the project presented by the municipality of Mazzo.

“Everything else is pure rhetoric if not hypocrisy and unsolicited advice. We would have liked to hear the same words spoken by Beppe Conti from the Valtellina administrators, in particular from the mayors of Livigno and Bormio, who have received so much from the Mortirolo. We reiterate that the safety of cyclists and those who ride the climb is non-negotiable.

“Therefore, if the money for the intervention is not allocated, we confirm the request to close the road as early as the 2025 season.”

Not the return to cyclocross Wout van Aert would have hoped for, as despite a strong start and holding a slender lead for the first five minutes, he missed out on securing a podium finish at the Exact Cross Loehnhout, hitting the deck three times in a thrilling race.

 

 

 

 

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The 30-year-old Belgian first made a mistake on a tight, tricky U-turn section, allowing Van der Poel past him, and then on the final lap as he was chasing was his old rival, he slid out while under pressure from a divebombing Thibau Nys, costing him second and eventually third place as well, which was taken by Laurens Sweek who was in the right place at the right time to pick up the spoils of the faltering former world champion.

In the end, it was once again, Mathieu van der Poel who was just too good, too strong, and too fast for the rest, as the reigning champion took his fourth victory in less than a week. But even he suffered a scare in the penultimate lap, sliding out in a turn just before the mechanical zone and being forced into a bike change.

FOUR WINS IN A ROW 🔥

Mathieu van der Poel makes it four in a row as Wout van Aert finishes fourth on his return to racing at Exact Cross Loenhout 👏 pic.twitter.com/Coj4uOYnzd

— Eurosport (@eurosport) December 27, 2024

“It was a difficult race, it wasn't easy to make the difference,” Van der Poel said. “It’s a course where it's difficult to really ride much faster than someone else, because then you quickly make mistakes. But I think it's a nice circuit. Furthermore, I had cold hands for the first time. So it was definitely the toughest 'cross race so far, especially after the tough cross yesterday.

He added: “My saddle was broken, which meant I had to change bikes. But Sweeck also rode strongly, I certainly didn't let him come back. After that, I just had to keep doing my thing and then I could extend my lead a bit further. And that worked out.”

 

 

 

 

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Thibau Nys and Laurens Sweek put up a brilliant show and an even better fight for the fans, putting Van der Poel under at least some pressure and duking it out until the finish line and separated by just one second, finishing 14 and 15 seconds behind the flying Dutchman respectively.

Team Crelan-Corendon absolutely dominated the foggy conditions in Belgium, with the team’s riders in the driving seat for most of the race. But it was a slow dismount in the penultimate lap that cost Sanne Cant the win at Exact Cross Loenhout - Azencross, and freed up Marion Norbert Riberolle to go solo, finishing ahead of her teammate by 23 seconds.

"She's absolutely crushed this race!" 🔥

Marion Norbert Riberolle seals the win at Exact Cross Loenhout 👏 pic.twitter.com/90le9hymmH

— Eurosport (@eurosport) December 27, 2024

“I am super happy. I decided in consultation with my coach and the team to start here because it was a chance for a win,” Riberolle said after her win. “However, I didn’t feel so good today during the recon. My legs were very heavy and it was not easy. I was also sleeping a bit too much at the start.

“I have a lot of respect for [Cant]. She used to be my idol. But in the final, I didn’t wait and I took my chances. For my morale, it's very good that I can win here.”

Meanwhile, 18-year-old promising British rider Imogen Wolff rounded up the podium places, a further 40 seconds behind Riberolle after a lot of hard work in chasing down the Crelan-Corendon riders.

Yesterday’s Boxing Day race in Gavere was another show of complete dominance by the one and only Mathieu van der Poel, who even admitted to “losing focus” and making “a lot of mistakes” and still ended up winning the race almost half a minute ahead of Michael Vanthourenhout.

And he arrived at the UCI World Cup race in a bright orange Lamborghini Revuelto worth at least €511,000 — after all, he did become the Lamborghini Antwerp ambassador last year and even got himself a shiny new SUV (which he was apparently more excited for than his new Canyon).

MVDP… what a king 👑

🎥: Pieter Scmp pic.twitter.com/ksRyIfkBlk

— Lukáš Ronald Lukács (@lucasaganronald) December 27, 2024

“I didn't choose that colour myself,” Van der Poel said. “It certainly doesn't drive badly, but it was very busy on the road.”

In other news, cyclocross legend Richard Groenendaal showered praise on the cyclocross world champion and claimed that it wasn’t his fault that no one else in the field could match up to his prowess on the bike.

In conversation with Wielerflits, Groenendaal said: “The most important reason is simply that he has always been the best. When he was a rookie, he was already by far the best, and he still is now. In the meantime, he has only become stronger, also because of his way of making annual plans.

Commenting about the lack of desire amongst other riders to challenge Van der Poel for the win, he said: “For us — and by that I mean: all the other teams and riders — there’s not much to it… You could just see everyone shrugging their shoulders and thinking: that’s it. But to be clear: that’s not Mathieu's fault, that's more the fault of the rest.”

Mathieu van der Poel, 2024 men’s UCI World Cyclocross Championships (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

But amidst all the talk of dominance, there’s one rider who has been missing all this while and is set to make his return to bike racing at Azencross Loenhout this afternoon, four months on from his crash at the Vuelta: Wout van Aert, who apparently doesn’t want to make it a “duel” with his old rival.

“I’m nervous today,” the 30-year-old Belgian told Wielerflits, who said that he watched Van der Poel win yesterday from the massage table. “Not only yesterday, but in all three races Mathieu was as good as ever. It is absolutely not the goal to make a duel out of it. I hope it goes well, that I can ride a good race and compete. Of course, if I am in the front, I am not going to give up beforehand. But realistically speaking, he is the better one.”

He added: “You are curious about your performance. I don't have the highest expectations, but there is always a lot to deal with when you arrive at such a race for the first time. There is also a very technical aspect to cyclocross. I haven't flown through the field at that speed for a long time, that does cause some stress.”

Wout van Aerts wins Benidorm round of the 2023/24 UCI Cyclocross World Cup (Zubiko/SWpix.com)

However, if you were to believe his training partner Daan Soete, he would tell you that he’s coming back to win. He told Sporza: “Watch out: it's more than just preparation. Something is always expected of Wout and Mathieu in the field. If there is an audience, you don't want to finish 15th. That way, the knife is always between your teeth.”

With the race starting in a few hours, we’ll be watching with bated breath.

From "walkable cleats" to crank length debates and whether or not you should use your drops at all, we take a moment to reflect on some of the biggest bike tech stories of 2024...

> Air-filled aero backpacks, crank length debates and falling bike prices — here's our 2024 cycling Tech of the Year