A collection of stories, news and information that we thought you might find interesting and relevant.
- Imagine being able to ride bikes with your entire family on Eglinton Avenue without any fear in Etobicoke, Scarborough, and Midtown. With protected bike lanes it would be a fun, easy, and healthy experience getting to school, the grocery store, or your favourite dinner spot. Calling for protected bike lanes on Eglinton Avenue is about more than transportation — our streets have the power to connect communities, improve our mental and physical health, provide space for children to play, and allow businesses to thrive. Cycle Toronto is advocating for reimagining our streets to their full potential and making them work better for everyone. While people will still be able to drive, other options, like cycling, will be a lot more appealing with safe spaces on the road. This is a conversation about safe, healthy, and sustainable mobility options for people across our entire city. We pledge to support this vision through the Move365 framework. Join the pledge with us by signing your name at this link.
- Last weekend’s Paris-Roubaix men’s and women’s races were incredibly dramatic. The rain and mud made for challenging conditions, the slippery cobbles made the races particularly technical and challenging. It seemed the standard tire choice was 700C x 28-32mm tubulars. During the race, I wondered if anyone had opted for 35mm width tires, as based on our experience, I would assume on a day like that, the added stability provided by a 35 width tire would make up for any loss in aerodynamics. After the race, Jan Heine provided his perspective on the ideal tire choice for Paris – Roubaix. Although Jan has never raced Roubaix, he has tested tires extensively and has expertise in tire development. Ultimately, tire choice must factor in terrain, aerodynamics, conditions, stability, durability and suppleness. One must also consider tire pressure, as it can have a huge effect on performance. When Moscon was leading in the finale of Paris-Roubaix, he was unfortunate to flat and crash and ultimately had to have a bike change. He had been riding smoothly over the cobbles on his first bike, but when he received the bike change, it was clear that his set up was not the same on the spare bike and it appeared that he was bouncing up and down and struggling to maintain grip –perhaps he had different tires and/or his tires were overinflated?
- Interesting commentary from The Outline on gender parity in professional cycling. It may make you reconsider the teams and riders you cheer for: “Deceuninck-QuickStep team manager Patrick Lefevere seems determined to stay in the news, with each new incendiary and over-the-top comment seeming to surpass the previous one. This week, he eschewed the idea of building a women’s team, saying “I’m not the OCMW (Public Centre for Social Welfare)” and insisting that there aren’t enough talented female Belgian cyclists to merit a professional team (despite Belgium’s Jolien D’hoore and Lotte Kopecky being two of the best cyclists in the professional women’s peloton.) Lefevere’s comments are just the latest in a long line of anti-women sentiments, as some in the peloton were only too ready to point out. British rider Lizzie Deignan threw it back at Lefevere, saying “I’m pleased that he has no interest in women’s cycling because we have no interest in him either.” While all of this has been an embarrassing, if slightly entertaining, sideshow for the past few years, at some point the spotlight should be shifted to the team’s partners – like Specialized Bicycles. These are companies who espouse equality and progressive values in their own marketing, but yet (at least so far) stand quietly by as Lefevere continues to wage his one-man war on gender equality.”
- A feature story in VeloNews last week delved into the often delicate and tricky issue of sportswashing which has been an often discussed issue in cycling recently. As expected, the UCI awarded the 2025 World Championships to the East Africa nation of Rwanda, and the Outerline took a close look at the implications for the sport, and for David Lappartient’s reign at the UCI. In some ways, awarding the worlds to Rwanda constitutes a bold step forward in cycling’s internationalization. An event like the world championships will have the potential to enliven and develop African cycling culture well beyond Rwanda’s borders – similar to the way in which the 1994 worlds helped Colombia’s rise to become one of the sport’s powerhouse nations. In other ways, however, a Rwanda worlds constitutes a naked attempt at sportswashing, comparable with Turkmenistan’s and Belarus’ recent attempts to stage international cycling events, signaling disregard for international democratic standards and human rights, and potentially damaging pro cycling’s credibility.
- Jon Yazzie, co-founder of Dzil Ta’ah Adventures struggled to connect to his cultural identity for some time, leading him to make the wrong life choices and lack a sense of belonging. It wasn’t until he made his way back to the Navajo reservation that he could regain that connection and feel at peace with himself. He is is featured in this stunning piece of videography.
