The former Olympic champion hopes to win a different race, all for the public good and improving transport options for all
It is a Sherlock Holmes evening in south Manchester. There is a deep fog on an already black night, perfect for tail-coated villains to dart between the wheelie bins. But in a primary school hall the lights are on and a public meeting is taking place about a proposed local cycle route. There are a couple of councillors, engineers, 180 or so members of the public – the irate and the enthusiastic – and a world-record breaking and Olympic winning cyclist: Chris Boardman.
The microphone does not work, there are tetchy complaints about a phone vote and low-level tension plonks down in the corner. Boardman, here in his role as Manchester’s cycling and walking tsar seems unfazed. He perches on the table, sticks a hand in his pocket and starts to speak. He is confident, blunt – and hackles visibly settle.
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The bike is a simple, cheap solution to so many of the problems we face, so why the hell aren't we doing it?
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