Calls for calm after spectator aims punch at Froome
Geraint Thomas pleaded for calm and “a bit of decency” from roadside fans at the Tour de France after ugly scenes marred his historic victory on Alpe d’Huez.
One fan was arrested for throwing a punch at four-time Tour champion Chris Froome, another was caught on video shoving the British rider as he passed, while there were various reports that Team Sky’s riders and vehicles were spat at on the famous 21-hairpin climb, which is a traditional lightning rod for rowdy behaviour from fans who often spend days camping out waiting for the arrival of the peloton.
It was not just Sky’s riders who had problems. Fans ran alongside the riders trying to take photos, while one of the race favourites, Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain Merida), was forced to abandon the race with a fractured vertebra after coming into contact with a fan at a section of the route where a smoke bomb had been let off. The Italian got back on his bike and finished the stage — impressively, just 13 seconds down on Thomas — but he was later confirmed as having abandoned.
Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford was less than impressed with the behaviour of some fans.
“I think we’ll chat to the lads, see how it was for them,” he said. “It’s professional sport, and you expect professional athletes to play and entertain without being impacted on by the crowd. I know this is part of the joy of our sport, how close the crowd gets, but we know if it impacts the race as it did with Nibali, then that’s too much.”
Sky’s riders were accompanied by booing and jeering all the way up the Alpe d’Huez climb, with Thomas booed as he crossed the finish line and again as he was awarded the yellow jersey on the podium.
Team Sky have been given a rough ride in France since they began dominating the Tour in 2012, and more so since revelations about the Therapeutic Use Exemptions used by Bradley Wiggins to win that first race. There is also a good deal of scepticism on the part of the French public regarding Froome, who has had to contend in the past with punches and even urine being thrown at him.
Thomas said he did not see any punches aimed at Froome but pleaded for fans to be sensible.
“If people don’t like Sky and want to boo, that’s fine, boo all you like,” he said. “But just let us race. Don’t affect the race, don’t touch the riders, don’t spit at us. Have a bit of decency. Just voice your opinion all you want but let us do the racing.”