Spectator sprays Mark Cavendish with urine during Tour de France time trial

Mark Cavendish has had urine thrown at him by a spectator during today’s Stage 11 individual time trial at the Tour de France.

It is unclear whether the incident is linked to yesterday’s controversial sprint finish in Saint-Malo when Cavendish and Argos-Shimano’s Tom Veelers collided.

However, Cavendish’s Omega Pharma-Quick Step team mate Jerome Pineau tweeted that his colleague had been whistled at and even had urine thrown at him during his time trial ride today.

Pineau added: “Yesterday I was so proud about the support all the race but today I am ashamed!!”

According to BBC Sport, Cavendish was said to be “upset and disappointed” over the episode during the 33 kilometre individual time trial from Avranches to Mont-Saint-Michel.

At first, he thought he had been sprayed with water from a bottle by a fan, but apparently realised its was urine as a result of the taste.

In that incident yesterday, Veelers hit the deck hard, and blamed the former world champion for the crash, but neither was sanctioned by the race jury.

Cavendish remained upright to finish third behind Veelers’ team mate Marcel Kittel, who beat Lotto-Belisol’s André Greipel to the line.

Today's individual time trial is currently being led by Cavendish's Omega Pharma-Quick Step colleague Tony Martin, the reigning world champion in the discipline.

Cavendish himself posted the 106th fastest time of the 128 riders to have finished so far.