"Should be broadcast far and wide": Praise for close pass advert encouraging drivers to "leave space for a life" when overtaking cyclists; Is Pidcock's Sa Calobra time unbeatable?; Deer Miss off the Day; Giro sprint stage + more on the live blog

Here's a bit more on the Cycling Scotland advert that we mentioned earlier, created with support from Police Scotland and attracting praise from Active Travel Commissioner Chris Boardman.

Today we launch our road safety campaign, supported by @PoliceScotland, to remind people driving they always need to drive safely around someone on a bike. Give at least 1.5 metres of space when passing someone on a bike.#GiveCycleSpace pic.twitter.com/ngGDFgW6C7

— Cycling Scotland (@CyclingScotland) April 29, 2024

And while some suggested Police Scotland might be better off implementing a reporting portal so cyclists can report video footage of dangerous incidents (à la Near Miss of the Day 903) the actual advert itself has earned plaudits. 

Boardman commented: "These adverts are very good and actually make people think. Be great if other home nations followed their lead."

One reply to Boardman added: "I've been an advocate of adverts like these for years. We need to humanise the bicycle. There isn't even anyone riding the one on the road sign for a bicycle. I've been ridiculed for making this point but I can't see how drivers attitudes will changes until we are seen as people."

Another called it a "first-class advert" that "should be broadcast far and wide by terrestrial television in the UK".

Cycling Scotland have also followed up the video advert with shorter social media clips.

When you're driving, look out for people on bikes. More people are cycling, so be extra aware. Leave space for a life.#GiveCycleSpace pic.twitter.com/ZjM3ygG1kf

— Cycling Scotland (@CyclingScotland) May 6, 2024

The lack of camera footage reporting portal in Scotland has come up as a major issue, with some saying this is more important to them and cyclist safety than expressing support for adverts.

One rider told Cycling Scotland: "The best thing that Police Scotland could do is implement an online reporting portal and mass processing team like every other police force in the UK already has. The kind of driver that doesn't give a damn about close passing a cyclist won't change their behaviour because of a few tweets. A brown envelope on their door mat and a few years of high insurance premiums on the other hand..."

 Others attempted to add some comedic flourishes to the discussion...

Where do you buy those fancy screens for your arms?

— ijonas (@ijonas) April 29, 2024

It was all about the powerhouses on stage four, Filippo Ganna trying his luck up the final lump a few kilometres from the finish only to be caught in the high-speed run to the line. Lidl-Trek had done plenty of work all day, their Kittelesque sprinter Jonathan Milan unleashing all his power in the final 200m to take an impressive victory.

🥵 A very fast final KM on the seaside in Andora, with the sprinters chasing a lone rider for the second day running.

🔥 But once again, the sprinters prevailed, with an uber-powerful sprint by @MilanJonathan

⏪ The @Continentaltire Ultimo Kilometro ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/TLZoo5YdH6

— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 7, 2024

There was a Milan-San Remo feel to the day, some climbing early on followed by a flat(ish) run along the scenic coastline, a full effort climb, descent, sprint, done. Just up the coast from the roads of San Remo, the action exploded into life on the Capo Mele, Ganna making it over the top in the lead, holding his advantage on the descent before being reeled in as the line neared. 

Once the sprinters got the green light it was all about Milan, the Italian who won the points classification and a stage last year, powering to victory despite the efforts of Kaden Groves, Phil Bauhaus and Olav Kooij.

The stacked field of sprinters might beg to differ, but the visual impression of that Milan win, and the strength of his Lidl-Trek support, makes it hard to believe he won't be back on the podium for a stage victory (or more) over the next few weeks. And boy is his all-out, watt-smashing, bike-wrenching style fun to watch...

 

 

 

 

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Amid new SRAM groupset talk from the Giro... this has got some people all sorts of excited... (mainly because of the bottle opener)... 

> "Waste of money" cycle lane slammed, as some locals call for more space for drivers – "because that's the majority"

This was the moment some cyclists from London got a professional puncture repair service thanks to Bahrain Victorious pro, triple Tour de France stage winner, Milan-San Remo conqueror (and road.cc Podcast guest) Matej Mohorič.

 

 

 

 

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10IronWomen, a group formed with the aim of inspiring women to take part in triathlon events, shared the snaps of their professional helping hand on Instagram, Mohorič training in the Alps ahead of the Tour de France when he came across the riders who'd punctured on Col de Braus.

The Slovenian saved the day and has been promised a beer on them the next time he's in London. He also joins the mechanical-assisting good guys club (alongside Peter Sagan)...

> Peter Sagan comes to the aid of "flabbergasted" British cyclo-tourist in Gran Canaria

London's Walking and Cycling Commissioner Will Norman posted the video below on social media this morning, showing the popularity of two-wheeled commuting in the English capital.

London Loves Cycling!

I’m delighted that we’re working with @TidewayLondon to reopen the slip road connection between Cycleways 3 & 6. The new sewer & the Bazelgette Embankment will be completed soon and reopening this link will reduce the congestion in this area. pic.twitter.com/Ql3G1ed4ZU

— Will Norman (@willnorman) May 7, 2024

To which Chris Boardman commented: "Imagine if the whole country had the same transport choice as London. Seems like a pretty good investment to me."

Boardman also had praise for this Cycling Scotland advert, supported by Police Scotland, which have been released with the aim of "to remind people driving they always need to drive safely around someone on a bike" and give safe passing distances.

"These adverts are very good and actually make people think," Boardman added. "Be great if other home nations followed their lead."

Today we launch our road safety campaign, supported by @PoliceScotland, to remind people driving they always need to drive safely around someone on a bike. Give at least 1.5 metres of space when passing someone on a bike.#GiveCycleSpace pic.twitter.com/ngGDFgW6C7

— Cycling Scotland (@CyclingScotland) April 29, 2024

> The most common bike fit mistakes and how to avoid them: nail your saddle height, cleat set-up and more with these top tips

We'll get talking about the Giro in a bit but, as everyone knows, Strava KOMs are much more important. 2019 British national hill climb champ Ed Laverack is over in Mallorca and had another go at setting a PB up Sa Calobra because when in Rome... or more accurately when in a Balearic Island hotspot for the world's two-wheeled visitors...

[Strava/Ed Laverack]

The backstory to all this is that Laverack smashed the KOM a couple of years back, the climb widely regarded as quite possibly Strava's most competitive segment due to its popularity with the pros and year-round visits from those aforementioned never-ending pelotons of visitors.

Then, during a winter training camp, a random cyclist by the name of Tom Pidcock (apparently he's quite good...) came along and obliterated the KOM by almost two minutes. And while nobody seems to know just how much Ineos Grenadiers drafting that mind-boggling 22:46 came with, it now seems pretty unbeatable (unless Tadej Pogačar gets bored with smashing the Giro apart and heads over for some rest day fun).

Laverack took 18 seconds off his previous best to solidify his place in second on the segment leaderboard, 1:32 behind Pidcock, but impressively ahead of Simon Yates and other notable current and former pros.

"Stunning day for it and the legs showed up," he told followers on Strava afterwards, with full behind the scenes YouTube video to follow this week. "388w (6.4wkg ish) and perfect pacing meant I made up all of my advantage in the final 6km, going 30s faster than my PR on that section alone! Maybe next time we will have some fun for YouTube and pace behind a team of climbers or a motorbike and see how fast we can really go!"