FRACAS ABOUT FROOME

CHRIS FROOME begins his bid for cycling’s Triple Crown tomorrow with rival Tom Dumoulin saying his presence at the Giro d’Italia is “not good for cycling”.

Britain’s four-time Tour de France champion is still fighting to clear his name after a doping sample last September revealed excess asthma drug salbutamol in his urine.

Froome wants to become only the third man to win three Grand tours in a row – Le Tour, Vuelta and the Giro.

But Dutch defending Giro champion Dumoulin (below) said: “If I was in the same situation, I would not be here.

“Maybe he wins the Giro but a few weeks later he loses the title (if his explanation for the test result is rejected) – that’s not nice for him.”

But Froome (above) insisted: “I’m confident that people will see it from my point of view when all the details are out there.”

Meanwhile, British sprint legend Mark Cavendish makes his comeback from a broken rib in the four-day Tour de Yorkshire today, which opens with a 113-mile stage from Beverley to Doncaster. He said: “I’m feeling good enough to know I can go to some tough terrain around Yorkshire and be competitive.”