Hour record holder using altitude tent to feel like he took EPO; Why there has never been a better time to ride; Barrier to tackle ‘large packs of children on bikes’; Driver writes off Ferrari overtaking cyclists; Alex Dowsett's time trial tips + more

A Rapha spokesperson said: “We are pleased to announce that our UK Clubhouses will be reopening on Monday, 15th June. Our normal opening hours remain but, to keep everyone safe, there will be some changes to the way we operate.

“RCC bike rental is available for members as usual, along with bike parking for any customers who choose to ride down. In line with government advice, the café will only be serving takeaway options and there will be no bathroom or changing room facilities, however our team will be on hand to provide expert advice and a warm welcome to all.”

More details at the relevant Clubhouse pages: Soho, Spitalfields, Manchester.

Hour record holder Victor Campanaerts has been sleeping in an altitude tent.

He’s set his tent to 4,700m because he says that is the maximum height at which you are, “not starting to die.”

Speaking to Sporza, he explained: “If you went higher, your body would start to break down because it is too heavy.”

The Belgian reckons the effects are akin to taking EPO – albeit it’s so hard on the body that he can hardly train. (Altitude tents are banned in some countries, but are permitted under World Anti-Doping Agency rules.)

“After those weeks in a height tent you are super strong,” said Campanaerts. “Because you have produced so many red blood cells, you should be able to feel like a rider who took EPO. Only I barely cycled for three weeks, while a rider who took EPO cycled hard for three weeks."

This week he did a session at “a slightly less extreme height."

He says he wants to start the last training block before the season “with an unseen high hematocrit."

NYMag has published a story headlined  ‘What It’s Like to Get Doxed for Taking a Bike Ride’.

It’s about a guy called Peter Weinberg who was wrongly connected to a video of a Maryland cyclist hitting children and ramming his bike into an adult after becoming enraged they were posting fliers in support of George Floyd.

Weinberg was on the same trail on a different day. He was wrongly identified as the man responsible because the police used the wrong date when they tweeted the footage.

Someone saw the video, linked his Strava ride to the incident and that was that.

The problem for Weinberg was that while the original tweet was widely shared, very few people noticed the police’s correction.

A 60-year-old has since been arrested and charged him with three counts of second-degree assault.

The VeloFete, a key fundraising event for Herne Hill Velodrome, is returning as a virtual event from June 18-21.

There’ll be Zwift racing (open to everyone), virtual talks and interactive classes to help raise funds for Britain's only remaining 1948 Olympic venue.

Zwift races will include individual and team TTs, points and scratch races, and a flying QoM/KoM.

Webcasts will include a session on ‘making the perfect coffee’ alongside cycling specific yoga sessions for riders and spectators to have a stretch between races.

In the evenings, there will be a series of virtual talks.

These will include:

• The Past, Present & Future of Women's Cycling - TV Presenter & Commentator Rebecca Charlton will be hosting a panel with Olympic Gold medallist Katie Archibald, Orla Chennaoui (Cycling Podcast Féminin), Michelle Arthurs-Brennan (Tech Editor, Cycling Weekly), Hannah Ross (Author) and Jenni Gwiazdowski (Director of London Bike Kitchen)
• Inside the Pro Peloton - Ineos rider Ethan Hayter and Team Bahrain McLaren rider Fred Wright, who both grew up riding at Herne Hill Velodrome, will be discussing life in the pro peloton
• Q&A with the hosts of the Streets Ahead podcast - Co-hosted Ned Boulting, Guardian journalist Laura Laker and CEO of Fusion Media Adam Tranter. The Q&A will dive into current news and views of active travel, cycling, walking and urban planning.
• Transcontinental rider and author Emily Chappell in conversation with Rapha founder Simon Mottram, on the Rapha story and its future in cycling.
• Dr Marlon Moncrieffe will be talking about the history of minority-ethnic group participation in competitive cycling in Britain.
• Jack Thurston, author of Lost Lanes, will be discussing your next Adventure Bicycle Trip.
• Dan Bigham, the founder of Team HUUB-Wattbike and the man behind the Danish track team’s recent team pursuit world record, will be answering questions on optimising your virtual racing setup and aero gains for amateur riders.
• Cycling lawyers Charles O’Brien and Shivaji Shiva will be in conversation with Rebecca Charlton about The Cyclist and the Law. They will cover everything from accidents and liability to transport policy and will be open to legal questions from the community.

For more information on sign-up, visit the website.

We flagged this a couple of weeks ago. The UK bike industry is launching a major campaign to get people cycling.

The aim is to show that, contrary to popular opinion, you don't have to be ‘a cyclist’ to ride a bike; you don't need to ride fast, far or wear Lycra.

A 30-second version of the film is also going to air on TV.

The campaign is supported by Beeline, Beryl, Bikester, Bikmo Insurance, Brompton Bicycle, Buzzbike, Cairn E-Adventure Bikes, Cannondale, Canyon, Chain Reaction Cycles, Cyclescheme, FreeFlow Technologies, Frog Bikes, Giant Bicycles, Havebike, Her Spirit, Hiplok, Hope Tech, HotChillee, Human Race Events, Hunt Bike Wheels, Islabikes, Komoot, Le Col, Let's Go Tees Valley, Lezyne, Mango, Muc-Off, Northern Consultancy Co Ltd, ProViz, Pure Electric, Schwalbe, See.Sense, Specialized, Strava Metro, The Bicycle Society, The Bike Club, USE, Wahoo, Wiggle and Yellow Jersey Insurance.

It is also backed by British Cycling, Cycling UK, London Cycling Campaign, Sustrans, The Association of Cycle Traders (ACT) and Wheels For Wellbeing.

Here’s the website.

More on this campaign in about half an hour or so.

Tomorrow we launch our new campaign. We are here to spread the word that #BikeIsBest for everyone.

There has never been a better time to ride a bike, for so many reasons. Thanks to these #NHSHeroes, who have recently started cycling, for telling us why bike is best. pic.twitter.com/XHh42LXiZu

— Bike Is Best (@BikeIsBestHQ) June 10, 2020

We’re creating extra cycle lanes & footways along Lord Sheldon Way Ashton to Manchester for safe & sustainable travel

Helps return to work & keep fit & healthy while social distancing: https://t.co/S3MvNqoDvm

Have your say on #SafeStreetsSaveLives https://t.co/SpbjNXPjeY pic.twitter.com/nvJd2TieqB

— Tameside Council (@TamesideCouncil) June 9, 2020

Locals can have their say on the Tameside Borough website. We'll add that while it may look like a 70mph bypass, Lord Sheldon Way is actually 30-40mph road. A lot of East Manchester roads are built like this, which is one of the big challenges when you're trying to push cycling.

The response on Twitter has been... not positive.

This is crazy. I know the road. It’s a dual carriageway! I’ve used this footpath. Where do pedestrians now go, and why are you putting cyclists against the flow of road traffic?

— Matt Taylor (@Matt_r_taylor74) June 9, 2020

You can't be serious! This is not safe at all. Have you sent an officer or councillor to try it out? Preferably someone who does not cycle regularly. Make it to his/her level of what feels safe, then you are talking.

— Sylvia 🇪🇺🇫🇷🇬🇧🇳🇿 (@CricklewoodMum) June 10, 2020

How is that "safe"?
What happens at night when drivers are disoriented by oncoming white lights to their left, and cyclists are dazzled by car headlights because they're on the wrong side of the flow?

— Darren McLean (@DarrenJMcLean) June 9, 2020

That looks like a deathtrap.

— Maximus von Radfahren (@CultOfCyclists) June 10, 2020

Looking for a few time trial pointers?

Might as well get them from six-time national time trial champion and former hour record holder, Alex Dowsett?

You might have to weed them out a bit. It’s quite a long and rambling video, in that he was live streaming a Zwift training session.

As you’d imagine, he tends to have most to say during the recovery intervals.

The video starts at about 6m20s.