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news
Spectator waves giant inhaler at Chris FroomeChris Froome says he’ll tell protesters at Tour de France: “Go jump”
Chris Froome has said he will tell spectators protesting against his presence at the Tour de France to “Go jump.”
In past editions of the race, which the 33-year-oold has won four times, Team Sky have encountered hostility from some spectators due to suspicions that his victories have not been achieved cleanly.
Examples include riders being verbally abused, while Richie Porte was punched during the 2015 edition, a year when Team Sky
> ‘I got a full-on punch’ says Richie Porte about anti-Sky sentiment on Stage 10
In that edition, Froome was spat at by a spectator and also had urine thrown at him. He blamed ex-pros turned TV pundits Laurent Jalabert and Cedric Vasseur for stoking anti-Sky sentiment.
> Video: Chris Froome spat at by spectator during today's Tour de France stage
The dropping of the case against him means that Froome is certain to be the target of further abuse from the roadside over the next three wseeks.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live programme Bespoke, the 33-year-old said: "We've raced under trying circumstances at the Tour for the last six years.
"There is always some kind of confrontation out on the road but it's always a minority and it's just something you have to deal with."
The defending champion was cleared of a potential anti-doping rule violation and was formally named in Team Sky’s squad this morning for the three-week race, which starts on Saturday.
Organisers ASO had planned to exclude him from the race while the case relating to his adverse analytical finding for excessive levels of the anti-asthma drug salbutamol at last year’s Vuelta remained unresolved.
However, yesterday race director Christian Prudhomme said that following the UCI’s announcement that it had closed the procedure, Froome would take to the start line in the Vendée on Saturday.
On his way to victory during Stage 19 of the Giro d’Italia which put him in the maglia rosa and helped set up his overall win, a spectator ran alongside Froome waving a giant asthma inhaler.
BBC Sport asked Froome what he would tell anyone trying a similar stunt at the Tour de France, to which the Team Sky rider replied: “Go jump.”
Froome was notified of the adverse analytical finding in September while preparing for the time trial at the UCI Road World Championships in Bergen later the same day, where he finished third.
The news became public knowledge in December following a joint investigation by The Guardian and Le Monde, which Froome believes didn’t help matters.
He said: "Information that wasn't correct was being circulated and I wasn't able to put my side of events across, so it's been a trying past nine months.
"I take my leadership position within the sport seriously and I wouldn't want to tarnish it so this is a huge victory to have this behind me.
"I can go into the next month of racing without any question marks over my head," added Froome, who is seeking a record-equalling fifth overall victory in the race.
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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14 comments
who writes this stuff or who proofs it? clearly noone. stopping reading after all the typos and unfinished sentences. Come on....
The irony is strong in this one.
6:0 for Zivojinovic in the final set and McEnroe out of Aussie open. Your memory is biased in this specific case. Agree on who’s more famous though and who’s a bigger champion-completely not my point.
Sandwich was all natural. No steak and kidney pie (Contador and Froome)! Get it?
“Go jump”?
Is that the African version of Go EFF Yourself?
I think Tour riders have to be pretty 'thick skinned' these days. Recall Cav going up Alp d'Huez after he'd been accused of bringing down a Dutch rider in a sprint. Journalist asked, "how was Dutch Corner". His shrugged response (on the lines of), "only got called d#ckhead twice".
Go jump! Really? No humour in this guy at all.
Sometimes I feel a lot of these "under pressure top sportmen" show very little sense of humour which surely would have helped them ease off the public pressure and make situation a lot more manageable.
Anyone remember in tennis (1985 Aussie open), Zivojinovic eating a sandwich whilst McEnroe screaming and ranting.
For those kind of moves, you need to have style - clearly lacking with Mr. Christopher Froome.
Yeah, a guy having a rant during one tennis match is actually totally the same. You should pop this on one of his social media feeds, he might learn something.
Nope, I don't remember Zivojinovic but I remember the champion Mr McEnroe. Any idea what was on the sandwich?
The climbs are going to be like a mid 80's Monsters of Rock festival. Better spend the remaining days to the Tour in a gents toilet for some acclimatisation training...
No need for punches and urine but I do hope we see some more funny protests like the giant inhaler. Pmsl.
I'm pretty sure condoning the mocking of asthmatics isn't exactly something to celebrate. It's akin to the childish bullying that exists in primary schools. Stigmatising asthma isn't particularly great...
Mind you, given that some of the "fans" see fit to throw urine and punches, I'm pretty sure they would fit in quite well in a school playground.
You realy think that? I don't like what you say so I'll call you a bully. Dear oh dear.
I'll happily mock people who use drugs to compete as he and many others are doing. If it dosn't enhance their performance don't take it and there will be no difference in performance. Quite simple. Or does "performance enhancement" mean something else.
All the asthmatics I know could never compete at any high level sports (that require heavy use of the lungs). I get on very well with them thankyou. I've also laughed about giant inhalers chasing Froome with them (and general use of salbutomol in sports). So were they just mocking themselves?
I'm pretty sure your making my comment out to be something it's not.
Pot, meet kettle
So I suppose dangling a bit of beef in front of Contador is mocking 'carnists' and is nothing to celebrate?