FROOME: IT’S CRAZY TO SUGGEST I BARGED RIVAL

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CHRIS FROOME has denied he deliberately barged his Italian rival Fabio Aru. During Sunday’s chaotic ninth stage, Aru attacked on the Mont du Chat when Froome had his hand in the air to indicate to his team he had suffered a puncture. Later on the climb, Froome swerved towards Aru and forced him close to the fans, but the Tour leader denied he tried to shoulder-barge Aru, his closest rival, in revenge. ‘Any suggestion that it was on purpose is just crazy,’ Froome said. ‘It’s not anything I’d ever do. I was on my spare bike, so to risk putting my derailleur into Aru’s front wheel — it’s just crazy. I wouldn’t risk that at all.’ Meanwhile, Froome said he will miss right-hand man Geraint Thomas, who crashed out of the Tour on Sunday. Froome said: ‘He’s a huge part of our mountain team.’ Fortunately for Froome, there are no mountains until Thursday’s Pyrenean stage. Today’s 178km (110mile) ride from Perigueux to Bergerac is unlikely to cause Froome any trouble.