>\u00a0Dublin food delivery cyclist settles for \u20ac60,000 over dooring by driver parked in cycle lane<\/a><\/p>\n His barrister, Winston Hunter KC, argued that McLaughlin \u201chas lost that cycling career,\u201d saying he had planned to return to professional racing after a temporary pause.<\/p>\n He also argued that at the time of the crash, McLaughlin was \u201csupremely fit\u201d and had \u201cclocked up a number of recent successes,\u201d including his sixth-place finish in the time trial at the 2018 Commonwealth Games \u2014 achieved despite riding through injury.<\/p>\n McLaughlin\u2019s racing record included multiple top ten finishes in the British National Time Trial Championships (fifth in 2014, seventh in 2013), fourth in the U23 version of the event in 2010, and top results internationally, such as fifth overall at the Cintur\u00f3n Ciclista Internacional a Mallorca in 2011, tenth at the Chrono des Nations in 2015, and fourth at GP Kranj in 2016.<\/p>\n His strong 2014 season \u2014 including a 10th-place finish in the time trial at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, finishing as the highest-ranked rider not contracted to a WorldTour team\u00a0\u2014 eventually earned him a contract with British Continental squad Madison Genesis the following year.<\/p>\n > \u201cBasically don\u2019t cycle in the cycle lanes\u201d: Police tell cyclists to leave one metre when passing parked cars to not get doored\u00a0\u2014 but forget to remind drivers of the Dutch Reach, as cyclists ask, \u201cwhy place the onus on us?\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n \nAt the pre-trial hearing, barristers for the insurers challenged the claim of brain injury, with Lionel Stride arguing there was \u201cno mention of a blow to his head\u201d and that McLaughlin\u2019s physical injuries were limited to the shoulder and elbow.<\/p>\n However, Judge Jane Evans-Gordon allowed McLaughlin\u2019s team to submit further neurological evidence, describing it as \u201ca very significant issue\u201d with potential implications for the final compensation amount.<\/p>\n \u201cIt could make a difference of approaching \u00a3400,000 to his loss of earnings claim,\u201d she said, also noting that the psychological problems presented \u2014 including PTSD and phobic anxiety \u2014 and the fact that they had not significantly improved despite treatment.<\/p>\n \u201cIf his psychological symptoms have a non-organic cause, then they are likely to resolve in due course,\u201d she said. \u201cIf, however, the cause is organic, namely a mild traumatic brain injury, they will not improve and are likely to have a significant impact on his future earning potential.\u201d<\/p>\n The full trial is expected to be delayed to allow time for the new expert evidence to be submitted.<\/p>\n > Remco Evenepoel calls for drivers to use Dutch Reach after suffering multiple fractures in dooring incident on training ride<\/a><\/p>\n McLaughlin\u2019s case comes amid growing concern around the safety of cycle lanes and the risks posed by \u201cdooring\u201d, where a driver or passenger opens a vehicle door into the path of a cyclist, often giving them no time to react. According to Cycling UK, at least 500 cyclists are injured in dooring incidents in Britain each year, though the true number is likely far higher.<\/p>\n In December, double Olympic gold medallist and world time trial champion Remco Evenepoel was knocked off his bike after colliding with the swinging door of a bpost postal van<\/a> in Belgium. He suffered fractures to his shoulder blade, ribs and hand, along with a dislocated clavicle and lung contusions.<\/p>\n Evenepoel later joined forces with the Belgian postal service to launch the Remco Reflex, a national campaign<\/a> encouraging motorists to use the \u201cDutch Reach\u201d<\/a> \u2014 a technique where people open doors with their far hand, forcing them to turn their body and look behind for passing cyclists.<\/p>\n Despite surgery and an intense recovery, Evenepoel continued to struggle with injuries into 2025. After abandoning this year\u2019s Tour de France on stage 14<\/a>, he revealed that he\u2019d raced with lingering fatigue as a result of his crash<\/a>, saying: \u201cI always felt like I was playing catch-up\u2026 I never quite felt like myself.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2022, four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome was doored while training near his home in Monaco<\/a>, sustaining minor injuries. He later used the incident to promote awareness of the Dutch Reach, saying: \u201cIt\u2019s extremely helpful and causes a lot less pain to our cyclists. It\u2019s a very simple thing for you guys to do.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"James](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/james-mclaughlin-mensroadtimetrial-2014-commonwealthgames.jpeg\" "\\"James")
James McLaughlin at the road time trial, 2014 Commonwealth Games (credit: Cs-wolves – Own work)<\/p>\n![\"Remco](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/remco-evenepoel-2023-uci-cycling-world-championships.JPG\" "\\"Remco")
Remco Evenepoel, 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships (Alex Whitehead\/SWpix.com) (credit: road.cc)<\/p>\n