Caída ciclista por camino cortado con una cadena sin señalizar
Aumentan las trampas para ahuyentar al ciclista del monte
Un hombre queda parapléjico al chocar con una piedra puesta en un camino
VIRGINIA LÓPEZ ENANO Madrid 2 MAR 2015 - 10:19 CET
Manuel Fernández, de 57 años, salió la pasada primavera a hacer una ruta en bicicleta con amigos por el monte, entre las localidades de Bueño y Palomar (Asturias). Iba el primero en una bajada no muy pronunciada con la vista fija en el suelo. No quería tropezar con ramas ni piedras. No miró al frente. Aunque si lo hubiera hecho quizás tampoco se habría percatado del trozo de alambre de espino, colgado entre dos árboles, al que se estaba acercando peligrosamente.
El golpe en la cara fue inevitable. Fernández cayó de espaldas. Abrió los ojos y vio entonces el trozo de cable balanceándose sobre su cabeza. Había topado con una de las numerosas trampas que en los últimos años están proliferando en los montes españoles, según distintos colectivos de ciclistas y motoristas consultados para este reportaje. Algunas, como el alambre que desfiguró el rostro de Fernández, no son intencionadas, se deben a una imprudencia. Pastores, por ejemplo, que colocan lindes improvisadas para que no se disperse su ganado. Pero muchas otras las ponen cazadores, ganaderos o propietarios de fincas para ahuyentar a ciclistas y motoristas de los caminos porque les resultan molestos.
Fernández estuvo a punto de perder medio labio. El corte, de la nariz a la comisura de la boca, fue aparatoso y profundo. Tuvo suerte. No le golpeó en el cuello. “Fui consciente en todo momento. No me explicaba por qué me había caído pero sí que notaba un golpe en el labio. Pensé que me había arrancado la dentadura y lo primero que hice fue preguntarle a uno de mis compañeros si conservaba los dientes”, recuerda Fernández.
“Algunos de los obstáculos son accidentales, los colocan sin saber que pueden ser peligrosos, pero otros están hechos a mala leche”, explica Víctor Tarodo, vicepresidente de la Asociación Internacional de Bicicleta de Montaña (Imba, en sus siglas en inglés). Fernández sintió el alambre de espino, pero Diego no tuvo tanta suerte. Hace escasos meses una enorme piedra colocada en medio del camino, en un cambio de rasante, le dejó parapléjico. El juzgado número 6 de Vigo ha abierto diligencias para investigar el caso, con cuatro personas imputadas.
“La piedra contra la que chocó Diego no la puso una sola persona, ese peso no lo mueven entre tres hombres”, asegura Tarodo, que alerta de que esta práctica está aumentando sobre todo en Galicia. La Guardia Civil ha abierto una investigación por varias trampas en los montes de Verducido (Pontevedra).
Es increíble que haya personas capaces de colocar un alambre, sabiendo que eso mata
Diego y Manuel son las víctimas peor paradas tras su encuentro con una de estas trampas, pero otros ciclistas que han visto cómo unos enormes pinchos clavados en tablones de madera reventaban las ruedas de su bicicleta al pasar, sin verlos, por encima.
Los ciclistas no son el único colectivo que sufre esta práctica. También lo hacen los motoristas, para los que puede resultar más mortífera. “Es increíble que haya personas capaces de colocar un alambre, sabiendo que eso mata”, exclama Ángel Viladoms, presidente de la Real Federación Motociclista de España. Viladoms señala que los responsables son individuos aislados que se proponen “hacer daño de verdad”.
Mientras los culpables esconden sus trampas bajo la hojarasca del monte, Fernández procura olvidar el accidente que casi le hace perder el labio. Tardó solo 15 días en volver a subir a su bicicleta, pero ahora siempre mira al frente.
http://politica.elpais.com/politica/2015/02/27/actualidad/1425049263_801099.html
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Video: "Cyclists are their own worst enemy. They deserve to die!"
YouTuber stays calm in face of unsolicited opinion
by John Stevenson February 23, 2015
Here's one of the most bizarre helmet camera videos I've ever seen, in which a rider walking her bike, minding her own business and behaving perfectly and utterly legally is subjected to anti-cycling opinions offered unsolicited by a complete stranger.
YouTuber leveret day remains remarkably calm throughout the encounter despite being told that cyclists, including presumably herself "are their own worst enemy" and "deserve to die'. Lovely.The encounter happened on the morning of Friday November 20 as she was pushing her bike in South Kensington.
She said: "This stranger walked up behind me and started talking to me. Note that this was not the result of any encounter between us as I was actually cycling along. I was just wheeling my bike along, to cross the road at the traffic lights."To begin with I thought he was perhaps a cyclist commiserating about recent tragic cyclist deaths with some rather uncomfortable 'gallows humour' … but then he used the words 'road tax' and was alas shown to be just a really vile man.
"I'm not at my most articulate but really I was quite thrown by how to respond to him.He didn't seem to mind that I had my helmet camera recording so, well, here we go."Her response is a great lesson in how to remain calm in the face of random unreasonable nonsense, pointing out that nobody pays road tax and despite being trained and licensed, drivers still do reckless things.
I have to wonder though, would this man have offered his odious opinions to a male rider?
Update: did this man see Claire Hitier-Abadie die?
A blog entry containing opinions eerily similar to those espoused by the man in this video has emerged. In it, the blogger identifying himself as James Nash writes: "I saw the crash at Victoria station when a cyclist was crushed by a tipper truck and yes, as expected the cyclist was weaving in and out of traffic with no care for other road users and paid the penalty and another one bites the dust."
http://rabbit2020.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/what-is-connection-between-freddie.html
(The blog has since been deleted, but a screenshot of a later version of it is here.)
https://plus.google.com/photos/108077203710134892429/albums/6119060132588603921/6119060186984412706?pid=6119060186984412706&oid=108077203710134892429
The blog posting is dated February 20, the day after Claire Hitier-Abadie died after being hit by a tipper truck at Victoria.
http://road.cc/content/news/143426-cyclist-killed-collision-tipper-lorry-london-morning
Police are appealing for witnesses to that crash. I hope James Nash has come forward with his account.
http://road.cc/content/news/143658-cyclists-may-have-vital-information-victoria-fatal-crash-say-police
http://road.cc/content/blog/143651-video-cyclists-are-their-own-worst-enemy-they-deserve-die
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UCI Hour Record: Thomas Dekker’s Koga TeeTeeTrack bike with 58x14 gearing
A close look at the Koga track bike to be ridden by Dekker in his bid for the UCI Hour Record this evening
by David Arthur February 25, 2015
Dutch professional cyclist Thomas Dekker will this evening attempt to break the UCI Hour Record at altitude in Aguascalientes, Argentina, with his sights set on former team mate Rohan Dennis’ record of 52.491 km. Ambitiously, Dekker is going to ride a 58x14 gear, compared to the 56x14 used by Dennis.
Dekker was on the Garmin-Sharp team last season, but he’s out of contract this year so his manager, Martijn Berkhout, threw out an invitation to companies within the bicycle industry to support the record attempt. Dutch brand Koga stepped up to the plate and here’s a look at the bike Dekker will be riding tonight.
At the heart of the bike is an updated version of Koga’s TeeTeeTrack bike. It’s constructed from carbon fibre so it’ll be light and stiff, and it has an integrated stem, much like on the BMC track bike that Rohan Dennis used in his attempt. The idea of this integration is to clean up the airflow around the handlebar and stem, and allow him to get very low at the front, for an aerodynamic position.
The frame and fork spin on Mavic Comete Track disc wheels - every other Hour Record attempt since Jens Voigt opened the floodgates has been ridden on carbon fibre disc wheels - with Dugust tubular tyres.
The handlebar is a 3T Brezza II with ski bend extensions and a large stack of spacers underneath to get a desirable position, one that balances the needs to be relatively comfortable for the hour while also being as aerodynamic as is possible. It’s a tradeoff between the two, if you put yourself in a position that is aerodynamically superior but is so uncomfortable you can’t put out the sustained power necessary, it’s going to be a world of pain.
The Rotor Power cranks will provide data analysis after the event, and Dekker is using a round Rotor chainring as well. We’ve been informed that he’ll ride a 58x14 gear - Rohan Dennis used a 56x14. Think you could turn that size gear for an hour? My legs hurt just thinking about it.
It's worth considering the 2,000 metres altitude advantage. Dekker is confident riding at altitude will give him an advantage, with seven world records set on this track in Aguascalientes, it's one of the fastest tracks in the world.
He’ll perch atop a PRO Aerofuel saddle, a triathlon and TT-specific saddle with a long central cutaway.
Lastly, Koga have given the bike and his skin suit and helmet an ‘Evil Spiderman” paint job. Dekker’s personal slogan, ‘Rebel to the limit’ is written along the top tube, along with his name and the date and location of the Hour Record attempt. On several places the the word !ANDALE! is shown, Mexican for “GO! GO!”
Bike full specification:
Frame: new improved version of the current KOGA TeeTeeTrack, Full carbon frame with integrated stem.
Fork: KOGA TeeTeeTrack, Carbon with multiposition alloy dropouts.
Seatpost: KOGA, Full carbon
Stem: KOGA, Full carbon
Wheels: Mavic Comete TrackTires: Dugast
Handlebar: 3T Brezza II
Cranck: Rotor
Chain: KMC (3/32")
Saddle: Pro Aerofuel
http://road.cc/content/news/144042-uci-hour-record-thomas-dekker%E2%80%99s-koga-teeteetrack-bike-58x14-gearing
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Thomas Dekker misses out on UCI Hour record in Mexico
Dutch cyclist gets close to distance Rohan Dennis set earlier this month, but falls just short
Thomas Dekker of the Netherlands failed by just one lap or so in his attempt to beat the UCI Hour record in Aquascalientes, Mexico today.At the end of his 60-minute ride, his distance was given as 52.250 kilometres, but there was confusion throughout his ride as to the exact distance he had covered. It was later given as 52.221 kilometres.
Although his final distance took some time to be officially confirmed, what was clear, however, is that the rider, without a team after being let go by Garmin Sharp at the end of last season, had failed to beat Rohan Dennis's record of 52.491 kilometres, set in Switzerland earlier this month.
While the attempt - the first to be undertaken at altitude since interest in the Hour was revived last year - was screened live on British Eurosport, the host broadcasters in Mexico provided few clues as to his progress.That wasn’t helped by a clock in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen that turned out to be running slowly, ticking over 50 seconds in what people commenting on Twitter quickly worked out was in fact 60.
An occasional graphic showing his average speed at the same distance covered as Dennis and Brandle, and at around the halfway point he was just slightly down on the current record holder.There was also doubt over whether the flipboard-style lap counter at trackside was accurate.
Perhaps mindful of the criticism on Twitter regarding the absence of information, TV producers resorted to camera shots over the shoulder of a woman who was writing, by hand, the progress as each lap passed.But with Dekker turning over a larger gear than Dennis, who set his record at the same Velodrome Suisse where Jens Voigt last September became the first man to break it after the UCI’s rule change last year, it seemed doubtful that he could beat it as the clock ticked down.
Attention now turns to the Lee Valley VeloPark in London, where on Saturday afternoon Dame Sarah Storey will become the first rider to attempt the woman’s Hour record since that rule change last year.The attempt will be streamed live on the UCI’s YouTube channel as Storey looks to overhaul the existing record of 46.065km set 12 years ago by Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel of the Netherlands.
http://road.cc/content/news/144080-thomas-dekker-misses-out-uci-hour-record-mexico
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