"I wouldn't want to catch that": Tour de France pro relieves himself into empty water bottle, lobs it into field; New Transport Secretary gets to work; A 136km 'rest day' ride; Philipsen wins; Cycle lane flowers; Giro action + more on the live blog

An eagle-eyed viewer spotted the moment Lotto Dstny's Victor Campenaerts was caught on camera relieving himself into a empty bidon (later dubbed a 'pee-don' by road.cc Jo) before mercifully waiting for the crowds to pass before lobbing it, and the included fluid, into a field. All without losing position in the peloton. Thoughts and prayers to whichever fan comes across that 'souvenir' in the bushes later.

The eagle-eyed viewer who saw the incident unfold during today's tenth stage of the Tour de France actually happened to be Campenaerts' Lotto Dstny teammate Mieke Docx, who uploaded the video to Twitter before, well, it was deleted shortly after...

The Belgian was seen clutching something in his right hand down towards his saddle, before moments later it became clear exactly what said item was, a water bottle without a lid raised upwards towards his bars. For some reason it then appeared Campenaerts showed it in the direction of the EF Education-EasyPost rider to his side, and then threw it away to his left.

Belgian champion Arnaud De Lie was on Campenaerts' wheel and seemed to enjoy the performance, but not as much as the roadside spectators who stayed dry thanks to the Lotto Dstny classics man thankfully holding on for a few seconds before ejecting the repurposed bidon into the French countryside. How the UCI and their 'damaging the image of the sport' fines view the incident may well be slightly different to the widespread amusement it caused on social media. 

In the absence of the video, here are the grainiest of grainy TV pictures.

As well as a lovely before and after...

If you thought that was bad, don't look up what British cycling legend Tom Simpson apparently used a casquette for back in the day...(if the anecdotes are true)...

Me waking up after seeing Philipsen win today’s stage #TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/8kgyDLhl8M

— Cycling Memes (@Cycling_Memes1) July 9, 2024

By no means a classic Tour de France stage, but you'll get no complaints here, we're firmly in the 'it's all part of a three-week Grand Tour' camp, not every day has to be stage nine. It really was all about the sprint, Jasper Philipsen starting the second week by getting on the board with his first stage win of this year's race, a victory massively assisted by the monstrous Mathieu van der Poel leadout that had been missing in week one.

Alpecin-Deceuninck finally get it right and deliver Jasper Philipsen for his first Tour stage victory of 2024! 🇧🇪🚀#TDF2024 pic.twitter.com/ZVVKam3B9G

— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) July 9, 2024

"Maybe we didn't start in our very best shape but I'm really happy we can start the second week with a win," Philipsen said immediately afterwards, the Alpecin-Deceuninck sprinter who won four times at last year's Tour noting that there are also some "nice stages" to come, suggesting he's not done with one. Stages 12,13 and 16 should all be sprints, but with no Paris finale, and a brutal final week, there will be nothing for the fast men after Tuesday of next week.

With Van der Poel and Alpecin-Deceuninck seemingly back to near their lead-out best, it would take a brave (or foolish) person to bet against Philipsen adding to his tally.

We shouldn't move on without mentioning that there were more concerns about Philipsen's sprinting, this time at the intermediate sprint, and more allegations of deviating from his line coming days after he'd been relegated for cutting off Wout van Aert.

#TDF2024

Philipsen "I’ll have to be more aware of my movements during such a final sprint."

Also Philipsen the next sprint

* closes again a riders on the barriers * pic.twitter.com/GZQlx4JGTz

— La Flamme Rouge (@laflammerouge16) July 9, 2024

There could be no complaints with what followed at the finish. 

The shallow gradients meant that, as predicted, the time gaps weren't too significant on stage three of the Giro, SD Worx pulling off a 1-2 and setting up Niamh Fisher-Black for victory before Lotte Kopecky kicked for second. Elisa Longo Borghini came fourth and keeps the maglia rosa, the Italian finishing behind Juliette Labous, at the back of the group headed by Kopecky.

Niamh Fisher Black wins Stage 3 of the Giro d'Italia 🙌

She rockets up to fifth place in the overall rankings!#giro #roadcycling pic.twitter.com/xDCp9edU37

— Eurosport (@eurosport) July 9, 2024

The Belgian has cut Borghini's lead to 13 seconds ahead of more lumpy stages to follow. The key will be stage seven and the Blockhaus summit finish which will see the riders tackle the 1st Cat Passo Lanciano (11.2km @ 8.6 per cent) before finishing up the HC monster, 16.3km in length and averaging 8%.

> Cyclists accused of causing "unlawful" damage to nature reserve by digging up "important habitat" to create mountain bike jumps

Louise Haigh is the Labour MP for Sheffield Heeley who has taken up the role of Transport Secretary following her party's landslide victory in last week's election. Haigh, who at 36 is believed to be one of the youngest ever serving female cabinet ministers in UK government, was shadow transport minister when Labour were in opposition and has stepped up to the main role.

Speaking to the Independent she said her department's "new motto" is "move fast and fix things" as Labour seeks to "change the way our country runs".

Our department is so clearly central to achieving the missions for Government that the Prime Minister has committed us to. Growth, net zero, opportunity, women and girls' safety, health – none of these can be realised without transport as a key enabler. And that's why our legislative plan is so ambitious. It's why our programme for change is bold.

There were mentions for "much-needed rail reform", which she said the DfT would "focus relentlessly" on improving, as well as a statement about Haigh being "proud" to be "obsessed with buses".

> 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

While active travel appeared to lack explicit mention, Haigh did say that "greening our transport networks" should be "the critical thread weaving through every priority", and they will "think about infrastructure and services together at every turn" so "travel across modes is easier".

"I was so frustrated each time I cycled along this scrubby patch that was a neglected eyesore." 

One cyclist in London was so fed up with the ugly beds that sit beside their local routes that they decided to spread some flower seeds as they rode past.

"Two years ago I dropped hollyhock seeds into this strip along a bike route in Elephant and Castle," a Twitter user called Germander Spreader explained. "Last year nothing happened. But this year, look what's come up!"

[@GermanderS]

"I'm so encouraged by this success that this week I've dropped poppy seeds into that strip. I now have something to look forward to next year... (I can't recommend hollyhocks highly enough — they're so tough and independent, need no care, and will come up year after year!)"

It's accepted wisdom that Tour de France pros don't just lie in bed all day on a rest day, ignoring all thought of riding their bikes and cherishing every minute free of the pain and stresses that resume a day later. That's saved for the afternoon and evening, after they've been out on a very easy, one or two-hour spin, usually to the cafe. In short, do enough to keep the legs ticking over, they'll thank you for it on Tuesday morning.

> What do pro riders do on Tour de France rest days?

Well, the good people at Velofacts trawled the data, presumably from Strava feeds, and collated a neat spreadsheet to show exactly what was done by who. And boy was there an anomaly, Team Jayco–AlUla climber Chris Harper spending his rest day by *checks notes* smashing out four hours at 36km/h average speed. You know it was a rest day, Chris?

Some of the #TDF2024 rest day rides. Chris Harper?? pic.twitter.com/lRVPrTb11v

— Velofacts (@velofacts) July 8, 2024

Obviously we jumped straight over to Strava for confirmation of his 'Morning ride'...

Nearly four hours, 36.1km/h average speed, 3,500 calories burned, no coffee stop (implied by the elapsed time), just a proper day out...

 Polka dot jersey-wearing Jonas Abrahamsen was the only other rider on Velofacts' list to do more than 55km, although the Norwegian's rest day spin was completed at a more 'leisurely' 32.9km/h. Leisurely for a Tour de France pro, at least.

Of the big dogs, Remco Evenepoel, Wout van Aert, the Ineos riders and UAE all went for an hour-and-a-half at pretty sociable average speeds. Decathlon–AG2R La Mondiale's Bruno Armirail wins the award for the shortest rest day spin listed, managing to stop his computer quicker than teammate Felix Gall, with just 100m in it. Back to the proper racing today...