‘Sometimes you reap what you sow,’ says Quintana after big rival is booed

Nairo Quintana appeared to stir up his rivalry with Chris Froome ahead of the Tour de France after the defending champion was booed by French crowds on Thursday night.

Froome got a hostile reception at the official team presentation in La Roche-sur-yon but Quintana expressed only so much sympathy yesterday.

“It’s not pleasant, it is not good for our sport,” he said. “We hope that people will avoid doing it. But sometimes you reap what you sow.”

On Monday, Froome was cleared of wrongdoing in the salbutamol case which has hung over him since his Vuelta a Espana victory in September. However, the minds of many fans had long been made up about the four-time Tour winner, who goes into this year’s race holding all three Grand Tour jerseys and seeking to become the first man to do the Giro-tour double since Marco Pantani in 1998.

Quintana, who was second to Froome in the 2013 and 2015 Tours and came third in 2016, is chief among those trying to stop that. But, he said it was good for the race that the Team Sky rider will be taking part – with organiser ASO dropping its attempt to block him from starting once the world governing body, the UCI, announced its decision.

“For us it is neither better nor worse,” he said. “We always do our race and preparation, and there will always be a rival to fight with. It’s better he is here and his situation has been resolved.”