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Video: Chris Froome spat at by spectator during today's Tour de France stage

Incident towards top of climb to La Toussuire caught on camera

Tour de France race leader Chris Froome, who had a cup of urine thrown at him during last Saturday’s Stage 14, was today spat at by a spectator, with the incident caught on camera.

Danish television station TV2 picked up on the incident, which happened towards the end of today’s Stage 19 to La Toussuire, where Froome finished third behind defending champion Vincenzo Nibali and Movistar’s Nairo Quintana.

– Tour de France Stage 19: Nibali takes solo win, Quintana takes time back from Froome

 

 

Team Sky have blamed the French media for fuelling sentiment against Froome and other of their riders during the race – Richie Porte was punched by a spectator last Monday, and members of the team have been subject to verbal abuse.

Froome himself has singled out ex-pro cyclists turned TV pundits Laurent Jalabert and Cedric Vasseur for dropping strong hints that they believe his performances are artificially enhanced.

The race leader was unaware of what had happened until it was pointed out to him in the post-race press conference: "We're human beings, and then we're sportsmen," he said. "People need to remember that.

"You can't come to a bike race to spit at people or to punch people or to throw urine at them - that's not acceptable at any level," he added.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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28 comments

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RPK | 8 years ago
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Froome has a few minutes up his sleeve. He should've totally stopped and smacked him one. Being that close to the riders cuts both ways.

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BikingBud | 8 years ago
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Karma  7

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Stumps replied to BikingBud | 8 years ago
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BikingBud wrote:

Karma  7

Lol, yes very true

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don simon fbpe replied to BikingBud | 8 years ago
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BikingBud wrote:

Karma  7

And that should bring some of the above overreactions back to reality.  16

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stevew510 | 8 years ago
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The Legend that is Sven Nys, knew how to sort out bad behavior.. 2012 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxgEF-t44gc
But then again Cross riders are a tough breed !!  13

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BikingBud | 8 years ago
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Yellow jersey group should get close protection/oversight from police outriders such that any asshole can be immediately and severely apprehended.

I remember there was one in a Olympic Marathon event; http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics_2004/athletics/3610598.stm

But it is no good afterwards saying it shouldn't happen.

The athletes deserve protection.

And as for Nibali no standards, no honour. After throwing a bidon at Froome and not getting a sanction from the commissaire, he now claims that he didn't see Froome had a tech issue. Cheating lying arsewipe.

Hope it all goes well and we can just concentrate on the racing today.

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trickydicky666 | 8 years ago
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absolute lunacy, they obviously dont realise the implications of this? there are few if any other events where you can get this close to your heros? this may well put a stop to it? i agree with a previous comment. win the whole event, hand back the trophy and boycott the event, will totally devalue anyone winning afterwards! mind you, thats probably what the french are hoping for......they might just have a chance at winning?

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Jonny_Trousers | 8 years ago
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I'm really looking forward to Froome's victor's speech - assuming he isn't literally spat off the road today. That will be the perfect opportunity for him to make certain people look very small.

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Mungecrundle | 8 years ago
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What really worries me is that with such an open and high profile event, then it may not be a cup of urine or a dockers omelette coming their way, but a round of ammunition or an explosive device, or even just someone prepared to throw themselves in front of the peloton to cause a massive crash.

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Airzound replied to Mungecrundle | 8 years ago
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Mungecrundle wrote:

What really worries me is that with such an open and high profile event, then it may not be a cup of urine or a dockers omelette coming their way, but a round of ammunition or an explosive device, or even just someone prepared to throw themselves in front of the peloton to cause a massive crash.

Ehhh???!!!!! You have a too vivid imagination tending to hysteria.

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Batchy | 8 years ago
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Yes this is appalling. But what I want to know is, if Froomey is on something he needs to be on whatever Nibali took yesterday ! ?

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don simon fbpe | 8 years ago
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No place for this behaviour in cycling, or anywhere for that matter. Disgusting.

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MattCartwright | 8 years ago
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In fairness, French TV should do that, it makes the whole country look bad. I assume if this was the Giro and that was Voeckler there would be an outcry.

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Airzound | 8 years ago
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Lucky the scum didn't spit at Cipolini as he definitely would have got off and whacked the cnut.

There was also the old retard making the obscene gesture right in Froome's face as he rode by! What a fuckwit.

These people need to be chain whipped.

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Airzound | 8 years ago
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Jalabert and Vasseur of course the have NEVER doped! They are as guilty as puppies sitting next to a couple of piles of merde.

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vonhelmet | 8 years ago
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Good jibe from Chris Boardman on itv suggesting the French TV could put out an appeal to find the offender...

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earth | 8 years ago
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What exactly is their beef? Froome has had a couple of stages where he blew his opponents away and the rest of the tour he has put in enough effort to retain that lead. Doesn't look like someone doping. Today Nibali blew them away, just a bit too late, is he a doper as well?

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SNS1938 replied to earth | 8 years ago
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earth wrote:

What exactly is their beef? ... Doesn't look like someone doping. Today Nibali blew them away, just a bit too late, is he a doper as well?

I wish I had your optimism

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MrZ | 8 years ago
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If anyone tries this on Alp D'Huez tomorrow all of Team Sky should dismount and kick the scum all the way down to Bourg.

Then remount and still win the Tour with a few seconds to spare, just to really wind the dope conspiracists up

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ag_hind | 8 years ago
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In football, the host club or country where there is hooliganism gets landed with a massive fine. I think in this instance ASO should be fined by the UCI and the Gendarmes who are meant to police the event. I lost count of the amount of police outriders I saw on Monday - what do they actually do? Obviously not a lot.
UCI please step in and make the TdF organisers do something to protect the riders!

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Beefy replied to ag_hind | 8 years ago
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ag_hind wrote:

In football, the host club or country where there is hooliganism gets landed with a massive fine. I think in this instance ASO should be fined by the UCI and the Gendarmes who are meant to police the event. I lost count of the amount of police outriders I saw on Monday - what do they actually do? Obviously not a lot.
UCI please step in and make the TdF organisers do something to protect the riders!

I totally agree if TDF don't take strong measures against these people UCI should fine heavily! Could you imagine if this was in UK abusing a French team? The UK would probably get a British rider ban

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Cooks | 8 years ago
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Hinault would've thrown that pr*ck off the Col.

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Judge dreadful | 8 years ago
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It would be worth losing a few seconds to get off and smack the twat in the head.

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ianrobo | 8 years ago
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Only scum spit at someone and hopefully the police can find this one and charge him with equilivant of ABH in French law.

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doobs12 | 8 years ago
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would love to see the twat charged with assault or similar - might send a message to these idiots

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scooterjinx | 8 years ago
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low life scum, why? where do these fucktards come from. hopefully he's traced and shamed

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Kadinkski | 8 years ago
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What a prick. Great discipline from Froome...I would have dismounted and smacked the cnut.

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IanW1968 | 8 years ago
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if they dont find and bust up these goons he should win this year then tell them to stick the tdf up their arses.

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