Throughout the 2024 Tour de France there will be many riders to withdraw from the race, for several different reasons. We make a list of all riders who leave the Grand Boucle, as well as list out a few of the main crashes and health issues that take place during the race.The first day of the race w...

Sam Bennett (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale Team) has returned to the Tour de France today, after a four-year absence, and immediately threw himself into the points competition. Though a large breakaway got clear early and took the first eight places at the first intermediate sprint point, the sprinters who remained in the peloton also battled each []The post Sam Bennett contests first intermediate sprint of Tour | Video appeared first on Sticky Bottle.

The first stage of the 2024Tour de Francestarts today in Florence!It is a hilly day with plenty climbing to open things up where much action is expected. There are plenty climbs where Tadej Pogacar may testJonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic. Riders such asRemco Evenepoel, a few sprinters (Binia...

Team DSM-Firmenich have planned the perfect Tour de France day. Stage 1 of the Tour de France was won by Romain Bardet who, alongside Frank van den Broek, did the ride of a lifetime to win on a brutal day in Rimini and take on the first yellow jersey of the race.The first day of the Tour, with jers...

Sustainable transport users accounted for 75% of city centre spending in 2022 report referred to by lobby group. Group heavily linked to car parks lobbies councillors ahead of briefing on Monday.A business lobby group whose only public activity has included objecting to pedestrianisation, cycle routes and bus priority measures has spread misinformation about the spending power of visitors to the city centre by mode of transport to try to halt the implementation of the Dublin City Centre Transport Plan.The Dublin City Centre Transport Plan is part of the Pathfinder programme to speed up climate action by using measures that have been successful in many European cities, such as bus priority, using bus gates, and providing extra space for people walking and cycling.In a letter to city councillors, the Dublin City Centre Traders Alliance, headed by solicitor and property developer Noel Smyth, lists eight members five of which have direct links to car parks.The members of the Dublin City Centre Traders Alliance are listed as Brown Thomas Arnotts, Jervis Shopping Centre, Retail Excellence Ireland, Restaurants Association of Ireland, Louis Copeland & Sons, Irish Parking Association, Best Car Parks, and Fitzwilliam Real Estate Capital.In the letter to councillors sent on Thursday, Noel Smyth wrote: Statistics show city centre retail is already vulnerable compared to out-of-town shopping destinations. The NTAs Dublin City Centre Shopper Survey 2022 indicates that car users spend significantly more than those using public transport. Thus, these restrictions will harm our businesses.However, while the NTAs Shopper Survey 2022 report showed that car users had a higher average spend per person, car users as a group were not recorded as spending more. The 2022 report found that Sustainable modes of transport account for 75% of daily spend in the city centre with car drivers accounting for 24% of spend.The NTA survey was published and is still available online, but RTE parroted the misleading claim from Smyth without any attempt to fact-check it. In an online report, RTE said Smyths letter cites the National Transport Authoritys Dublin City Centre Shopper Survey 2022 which it said indicates that car users spend significantly more than those using public transport.The Irish Independent also reported on the letter but did not make reference to the misleading claim. Public transport users represented 58% of spending in the survey. Bus users alone represented 33% of spending outlined in the report, while all rail modes combinedLuas, Dart, and other railat 25% also exceeded car users spending. IMAGE: A graphic from the 2022 NTA survey.The misleading claim on spending was prefaced by the claim that Statistics show city centre retail is already vulnerable compared to out-of-town shopping destinations. Its unclear how the NTAs Shopper Survey relates to this claim or if Smyth has other statistics that he didnt include in the letter.In debates around previous changes in city centre traffic arrangements, it was claimed that car parking in out-of-town shopping centres was far more attractive to car users. Recent and planned changes at shopping centres might have blunted this argument, with parking charges now in place at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre and the owners of the Blanchardstown Centre gaining planning permission to build housing on a large section of its surface car park.The letter was also sent just the day before Decathlon was the second major retailer to open at the Clerys Quarter on OConnell Street. The long-term arguemnt by the French company to open at the high-profile location was made after monthly of public discussion on the hotly debated car restrictions and just around a month ahead of the start Smyth also highlighted a claimed risk to tourism from the traffic plan he wrote, The restrictions could deter tourists, impacting the 2.6 billion they spend annually. But he offered no reason for this. The reality is that some of the worlds cities associated with overtourism have some of the most car-restricted city centres, including Amsterdam.Smyth also said: These restrictions, which DCC has positioned as an effective way to curb motorists travelling through the City Centre, will, in fact, serve as a deterrent to all shoppers and visitors who choose to use their cars or indeed taxis as part of their experience. This threatens the Tier 1 Retail locations, as set out in Dublin City Development Plan 2022- 2028, of Henry Street and Grafton Street in particular.But its unclear what, if any, part of the plan will affect taxis. Smyth said the group want the plan to undergo a Part 8 application to An Bord Pleanla, requiring a full Environmental Impact Assessment. Part 8 applications are councillor-approved applications; councillors already voted for the transport plan to go ahead. Applications are only made to An Bord Pleanla, where environmental assessments find that such projects are required to undergo full assessments. He wrote that this would allow public submissions, but the Dublin City Transport Plan received a large number of public submissions after it was extensively reported on in the media.Smyth inversely threatened: We have written to the Chief Executive requesting a Part 8 application, committing not to seek Judicial Review if granted.Commenting on the letter, Cllr Feljin Jose (Green Party) said: Record levels of people are now travelling into Dublin city centre by public transport while car users are at just 25% the lowest ever. The City Centre Transport Plan will speed up public transport and create more space for people in the city centre.He added: While lobby groups lead by car parking interests are entitled to their opinion, we must continue with improving our city for everyone.The Dublin Commuter Coalition, a sustainable transport users advocacy group, sarcastically said: As we famously know Henry St and Grafton St have been struggling for business since they were pedestrianised 50 years ago.The group added: Yet another fearmongering tactic from a well-funded group of businesses that want to keep the City Centre a congested mess that delays everyone.IrishCycle.com contacted Noal Smyth about the lobbying activity of the Dublin City Centre Traders Alliance in August 2022, September 2022, October 2022, and February 2024. None of the requests for comment were replied to.

The French veteran held off a rapidly-approaching peloton in a nerve-wracking finale to stage 1 in Italy

The Tour de France 2024 started this Saturday, June 29, with an inaugural stage whose Grand Dpart was held in Florence. With a very hilly day, with several categorized climbs throughout the day, a first battle was expected in the fight for the general classification, although there would also be a...

Romain Bardet, riding his final Tour de France, has won the opening stage of the race and taken the yellow jersey after an epic ride with his young Team dsm-firmenich PostNL team mate Frank van den Broek. The duo van den Broek the only survivor from the early breakaway and Bardet, who rode across []The post Bardet is Tour stage 1 hero, Irelands Healy plays starring role | Video appeared first on Sticky Bottle.

Romain Bardet had won on three occasions at the Tour de France, finished twice on the podium and won big races throughout his career. But none likely came close to the emotions and triumph felt today on stage 1 of the Tour. After announcing his retirement and that this would be his final ever Tour,...

Team Visma | Lease a Bike had quite an interesting first day at the Tour de France. Juan Ayuso's difficulties meant UAE Team Emirates postponed their attempt to put Jonas Vingegaard into difficulties; and in the end Wout van Aert would've likely won the stage and taken the yellow jersey if it wasn't...