Good luck for Roubaix? Mathieu van der Poel wipes bird poo from helmet mid-race (+ Cav third); Trump supporter falls off bicycle, faceplants... goes viral; Scrap the congestion zone... archers can't take longbows by bus + more on the live blog

It's a shit and run...

That looks shitty! 🐦 #SP23 #SPmen pic.twitter.com/E5bNEI5rrs

— Scheldeprijs (@Scheldeprijs) April 5, 2023

Maybe we need to start taking helmets' poo-preventing powers into account in our reviews... 'great ventilation for those hot summer days, although not going to stop anti-social avian excrement... three stars'...

The good luck theory rumbles on, Van der Poel recovering from his trip to the convoy for wet wipes to lead out teammate Jasper Philipsen to victory. I'm sure a win at Roubaix on Sunday and the seagulls of northern France can do whatever they like, as far as Mathieu's concerned.

 On the racing front, Philipsen won and Mark Cavendish achieved his joint best result yet in the blue of Astana, sprinting to third at Scheldeprijs. Sorry, yes, the race was Scheldeprijs, I was too excited by the bird crap thing to remember to mention that important detail...

Anyway, without wanting to sound too much like a certain Alan Partridge, anyone else suffered the flyby splatter mid-ride?

Northamptonshire councillors have spoken out about the state of the roads in the county, arguing the government's grant is not even half of what would be needed to keep the roads well maintained, Northants Live reports.

At a meeting of North Northamptonshire Council, Cllr Martyn Reuby said it is one of his "greatest fears" he will be knocked from his bike by hitting on of the area's many road defects.

"It is one of my greatest fears that I hit a pothole, lose control of my bike and end up under the wheels of a vehicle. I literally would stand no chance and the likelihood of this seems more possible with the terrible state of the roads," he said.

Another councillor, Graham Lawman, said their budget was "limited" and "not enough to catch up, let alone improve the position", the £3.8 million government grant well short of the £8.1 million estimated needed to keep the roads in a "steady state".

Mountain bikers and hikers have been asked to check themselves for ticks after returning from outdoor activity as health officials confirmed a potentially deadly virus is present in the UK.

A 50-year-old man from Yorkshire, who was mountain biking when he was bitten, is the first domestically acquired case of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). It has also been detected in Hampshire, Dorset and Norfolk.

Common in many parts of the world, TBEV causes a range of disease, some are completely asymptomatic while others might experience mild flu-like illness to severe infection in the central nervous system, such as meningitis or encephalitis.

"Although the risk to the general public is very low, it is important for people to take precautions to protect themselves from tick bites, such as covering their ankles and legs, applying insect repellent and checking clothes and your body for ticks, particularly when visiting areas with long grass such as woods, moorlands and parks," Dr Heln Callaby of the UK Health Security Agency said.

More politics from across the pond...

After the reintroduction of a tax credit of up to $1,500 for those purchasing a new electric bike, US senator Mitt Romney told Business Insider "removing automobile lanes to put in bike lanes is, in my opinion, the height of stupidity, it means more cars backing up, creating more emissions".

"I'm not going to spend money on buying e-bikes for people like me who have bought them — they're expensive," he said. "I don't want to add to the unfairness of the current system where electric cars are free riders and don't pay to help maintain our roads and bridges through a gas tax or any kind of surcharge. We're over-subsidising electric vehicles as it is now."

Bureau of Transportation Statistics suggest that 52 per cent of US journeys are shorter than three miles, with nearly 60 per cent less than six miles away from drivers' homes. The group estimates that if 15 per cent of these driven journeys were made by e-bike, carbon emissions could drop by 12 per cent.

The proposed scheme, expected to be implemented by 2028, would see drivers who enter the zone between 07:00 and 19:00 on weekdays have to pay a daily charge of at least £5. Funds raised will go towards an improved bus network expansion, expected to cost £50 million, and improving infrastructure for cycling and walking.

The Greater Cambridge Partnership says it wants to see 20,000 extra journeys taken by bus, a 50 per cent reduction in car trips, a five per cent reduction in carbon emissions and 10,000 extra park and ride spaces.

Daniel Zeichner, Labour MP for Cambridge, told a BBC debate in February, he wants a "transformed transport system for this city".

"People are spending 65 hours a year stuck in traffic jams in Cambridge. What a waste of time and damage to the environment, damage to people trying to get to work and small businesses," he said.

"We have a chance to have a transport system fit for this city. We all know that for so long this city has struggled with transport. We need a new bus system that is cheap, reliable and that people can believe in. I think it is worth having a try."