It’s that time of year again! Yes, that time when the New Forest papers move into high gear with the “sportive stirring spoon”. The New Forest Post was on form this week with a front page article entitled FIRST MASS CYCLE RACE RIDE with “thousands of riders set to descend on the area at the weekend”. Chris Yandell seems to enjoy hyperbole (who doesn’t), but with around 2,000 riders in the Wiggle event we could have been forgiven for thinking that he was talking about the New Forest Show or Beaulieu Auto-jumble – where the word “thousands” would be far more appropriate.
Have you ever seen a cyclist squat down at the side of the road, somehow yank the bib-tights down and do a poo?
Jesting aside, the same, tired reasoning as to why these cycle events are a real menace to the Forest were front page news yet again. Perhaps the best bit was the revelation that cyclists “defecate” at the roadside! Is that serious? Have you ever seen a cyclist squat down at the side of the road, somehow yank the bib-tights down and do a poo? That would be quite some feat.
The organiser of this weekends event, Wiggle, has come under particularly close scrutiny and criticism as they have said that they will ignore the new, NFNPA imposed cap of 1,000 riders. As you can imagine this has not gone down too well.
NFNPA Councillor Maureen Holding was wheeled out again for comment and was on form. Apparently, Maureen is worried about the “animals, family cyclists” (sportive riders don’t have families of course) and “children on tiny bikes” (perhaps there is a circus that we don’t know about?) Does Maureen realise that a road is probably not the best place (what with all those pesky car drivers trying to fit through the gap between the cyclist and the pony) to take your child if they are riding a “tiny bike”? Really, Cllr Holding is a the font of illogical and misinformed sound bites when it comes to cycling in the forest – perhaps best to ignore.
There was a small glimmer of light and reason in the article however, from Forest Cyclist who was quoted “Contrary to the inevitable baseless quotes of a few anti-cycling NIMBY’s, the New Forest and its residents welcome all cyclists”. We concur.
So, if you are travelling to the New Forest this weekend to take part in the Wiggle Sportive, then have a great time. Enjoy the ride, the scenery and the bananas!
Allez!
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