Labour’s shadow secretary for transport rides a bike and offers support for cycling infrastructure… gets accused of photo-op (and for riding without helmet); Eden Hazard climbs Mont Ventoux; Chris Froome denies team power struggle + more on the live blog

We reported a couple of months ago that Louise Haigh, the Labour shadow secretary for transport, had been the latest to join our very warm and friendly community of cyclists. And her becoming a cyclist, felt even more resounding of a moment given that long ago, she had made some very questionable statements about active travel, and had been rightly faced the brunt of criticism from the campaigners and cycling advocates alike.

When Independent asked her a simple question of, 'does she cycle?', Haigh responded: "God no, have you been to Sheffield?" Telling the newspaper she drives a petrol Nissan Juke, Haigh suggested Rishi Sunak had "demeaned himself" by saying the Labour Party would pursue a 'war on motorists'.

She went on to say 20mph speed limits and low-traffic neighbourhoods should be a matter decided by local people and argued many of the most-criticised councils who had implemented apparently unpopular schemes were Conservative local authorities.

Concluding the transport section of the interview, Haigh said there would be no Labour Party diktat that people should walk or cycle more.

> Is Labour’s shadow transport secretary cycling’s latest convert? Louise Haigh says e-bikes “make all the difference”, months after backlash over controversial cycling comments

But after doing her homework, learning and educating herself, she made a U-turn and in March as she finally got round to travelling through her Sheffield constituency by e-bike, which she said has the potential to “make all the difference” in encouraging even those wary of the city’s hills to cycle more.

Now, to mark the World Bicycle Day, she has shared a post on Twitter, saying that if elected in the upcoming general elections on 4th July, Labour will offer support to local authorities to “provide the safe, accessible cycling infrastructure that is right for their areas – so that everyone who wants to cycle can”.

It’s World Bicycle Day! 🚵‍♀️

Cycling is great for your health – and it's a clean, cheap way to get around.

Labour will support local authorities to provide the safe, accessible cycling infrastructure that is right for their areas – so that everyone who wants to cycle can. pic.twitter.com/Tp9HpaGe4r

— Louise Haigh (@LouHaigh) June 3, 2024

Haigh – the politician likely to be tasked with heading the next government on issues of transport – was also briefed by Cycling UK on a report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), which made the case for greater investment in cycling and walking infrastructure to help “unlock” several health, well-being, economic, and environmental benefits.

> “Chronic underfunding” of active travel makes England the “poor relation” compared to Scotland and Wales, says Cycling UK

“Sheffield is known for its hills and that may be a barrier for some people who might be thinking of choosing cycling to get around,” she said.

“It was great to be out with Cycling UK and to see how much easier it is to cycle when you have an extra boost from an e-bike, it makes all the difference.”

And cyclists are chuffed to see finally some backing for cycling from the Labour party, which incidentally takes place just a week after a hilarious Lib Dem campaign photo op in Wales, featuring — yes you guessed it, Ed Davey.

“The political will and support that’s been lacking,” replied the Twitter user and cycling activist Bob from Accounts, while Rob wrote: “Hope to see real manifesto commitment to this via progressive new active travel policies.”

There were some sceptics too, who considered the post as another photo-op before the elections, and added that "support" was in fact a hollow backing and didn't mean much given how deeply entrenched motonormativity is in the British society, and instead asked for concrete plans to improve cycling and walking to reverse the Tory government's repeated slashings of the active travel budget amidst all the anti-cycling rhetoric.

Nice, but would be great if you could do more than "support" (meaningless) - how about committing to reversing the government's despicable slashing of the active travel budget? https://t.co/eGhm6nrMim

— Matthew Marks (@MatthewMarks42) June 3, 2024

I think it’d be only right for me to mention here as a matter of fact that there were some comments who pointed out that Haigh was riding the bike without wearing a helmet… *throws grenade and ducks for cover*

To round things up this World Bicycle Day, here's one way how not to celebrate it, courtesy of road.cc reader Hirsuite...

Heartbreak for Decathlon AG2R's Bruno Armirail, who was caught by the peloton in the final few hundreds before the finish line on a misty afternoon at the Col de La Loge, as Uno-X's precarious attack which somehow ended up working perfectly and placed its Danish rider Magnus Cort to take the win, holding off Bora-Hansgrohe's Primož Roglič.

One Dane might hide another... 🇩🇰 After Mads Pedersen yesterday, today it was the turn of Magnus Cort to whoop the peloton's ass and win the 2nd stage of @dauphine with a brutal uphill sprint. First ever WT victory for Uno-X Mobility. #Dauphine pic.twitter.com/1PpsVIDkWb

— Mihai Simion (@faustocoppi60) June 3, 2024

Cort's win means that it's a consecutive two victories for Danish riders at the French stage race, with yesterday's sprint having been won by the ever-so-formidable Mads Pedersen.

Back-to-back #Dauphine stage wins and yellow jerseys for 🇩🇰Denmark! pic.twitter.com/6DMM8QgiED

— NBC Sports Cycling (@NBCSCycling) June 3, 2024

Thanks to the former Walking and Cycling Comissioner for West Midlands, Adam Tranter for refreshing my memory with this brilliant ad. "No, bikes aren't the answer to every single journey, but they’re more versatile than you might think. It's all about choosing the right tool for the job," wrote Tranter.

No, bikes aren't the answer to every single journey, but they’re more versatile than you might think. It's all about choosing the right tool for the job.

🚴‍♂️ Celebrating #WorldBicycleDay by re-sharing one of my favourite projects: "The Best Tool For The Job".

No, bikes aren't the answer to every single journey, but they’re more versatile than you might think. It's all about choosing the right tool for the job. 🌍💪 pic.twitter.com/MxaU02wH59

— Adam Tranter (@adamtranter) June 3, 2024

Denmark's two-time Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard has been left out of the national squad for road cycling for the 2024 Paris Olympics, having been snubbed for the final place in the team for UAE Team Emirates' rider Mikkel Bjerg.

The 27-year-old rider has expressed his desire to ride in Paris, however, it's being reported that he may have been overlooked given his recent injuries from the Itzulia Basque Country Tour, where he suffered multiple fractures in a horror crash which also involved a number of top riders such as Remco Evenepoel and Primož Roglič.

Vingegaard is currently doing high-altitude training in the French Alps with Visma Lease a Bike teammates Christophe Laporte and Wout van Aert, with the latter also recovering from the broken collarbone and ribs injuries he suffered at the Dwars door Vlaanderen, which ruled him out for the majority of the spring classics season, including the coveted Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.

Velo also reports that while the Vingegaard and Wout van Aert are trying their best to get into top shape, the team is still unsure if the duo will be able to do so given their injuries and the demanding nature of the Tour. So, does this mean there's a chance we'll see Matteo Jorgensen ride for GC this time?!

Essex Police has called on RideLondon participants who may have witnessed a serious collision during the event to come forward with camera footage or information. The appeal comes after a cyclist taking part in the sportive was involved in a collision with a motorist driving on a road that was supposed to be closed to non-event traffic, the driver then leaving the scene.

Read more: > Police investigate RideLondon incident as cyclist seriously injured in collision with driver on closed road course