Sports shorts Tour de France riders sprayed with tear gas amid protest

After fans had caused chaos in the Alps by setting off flares, tear gas from police accidentally played havoc with Tour de France riders during the first stage in the Pyrenees on Tuesday.

Four-time champion Chris Froome was among a large group of riders whose eyes needed treatment when police intervened to disperse farmers protesting funding cuts by disrupting cycling’s biggest race.

Bales of hay blocked the road 18.6 miles into the 218-kilometer stage from Carcassonne to Bagneres-de-Luchon. Tour organizers said police used tear gas to move the protesters as the peloton approached.

Four-time champion Froome, race leader Geraint Thomas, and world champion Peter Sagan were among those affected. Froome was treated with eye drops and Sagan poured water over his face to clean his eyes.

Stage 16 resumed after a 15-minute delay.

“I was lucky that it did not affect me too much, I had a bit of tingling in the back of the throat but I used some water to wash it out,” said Thomas on the finish line in the spa town of Bagneres-de-Luchon, after keeping his overall lead intact.

Froome, who remained in second place overall, 1 minute, 39 seconds behind Sky teammate Thomas, said the effects of the gas did not last long.

“I just sprayed some water, water in the eyes, water on the face,” he said. “Just felt throat and nose were burning, eyes were burning afterwards. But I think quite a lot of riders were in a similar situation. I think we’re all grateful for temporary neutralization and to clear, to have a couple of (kilometers) to clear our eyes, nose out, then the racing continued again.”

Frenchman Pierre Latour, who wears the white jersey for the best young rider, said he noticed police were using tear gas when he arrived at the road blockade.

“With the headwind, the gas came back to the peloton. Lots of us had to stop to drink and douse water over our eyes,” Latour said.

Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez was put back on the 10-day disabled list Tuesday because of a strained right groin, a day after failing to hustle on a pair of key plays in a 7-6 loss to Tampa Bay.

Sanchez missed 20 games from June 25 to July 19 because of the groin injury.

“We had an MRI yesterday, and it showed the same injury, same spot, same location,” Sanchez said through a translator. “So, re-aggravated the injury.”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone had no firm timetable for Sanchez’s return.

“I think that will become more clear over the next few days,” Boone said. “I do think it will be at least a couple weeks.”

After Monday night’s game, Sanchez said that the groin issues were “definitely behind me” and that “it’s about doing a better job overall.”

“Being tight in a certain part of your body, I’m used to that,” Sanchez said. “You keep playing and eventually they go away. I mentioned it after the game it felt a little tight.”