Froome keeps lead despite scare from runaway parasol

Chris Froome enjoyed a “relaxing” first day in the yellow jersey as Marcel Kittel won stage six of the Tour de France, but the Team Sky train was almost derailed by a blow-away parasol on the road to Troyes.

The peloton rode at a steady pace in baking hot temperatures on the 216 kilometre route from Vesoul, allowing Froome – the three-time winner – to take it easy a day after he took the race lead from team-mate Geraint Thomas.

But there was one moment of panic 90km from the finish line when a spectator’s parasol blew on to the road and rolled through the pack, striking a couple of riders without bringing anyone down.

“It did just pop up from nowhere,” Froome said. “There was a gust of wind at that point and it blew from one of the spectators and landed right in the middle of the road.

“It’s quite scary when that happens. One minute you’re just cruising along, and the next there’s a massive parasol and everyone is dodging it. Thankfully no one came down.”

Froome continues to lead the Tour by 12 seconds from Thomas, with Astana’s Italian national champion Fabio Aru in third, 14 seconds off yellow.

A three-man breakaway enjoyed their day in the sun before the anticipated sprint came to pass, with Quickstep Floors’ Kittel edging out Frenchman Arnaud Demare (FDJ) and his fellow German Andre Greipel (Lotto-soudal).

It is a second stage victory of this Tour for Kittel, who also won stage two in Liege.