Drama follows Froome

LA TOUSSUIRE, FRANCE— An angry Chris Froome accused Vincenzo Nibali of “unsportsmanlike” behaviour after the defending Tour de France champion accelerated away when the race leader stopped with a stuck wheel on the toughest Alpine climb on Friday.

Nibali, who went on to win Stage 19, said Froome tore into him verbally at the finish.

“He was very angry, but that’s his problem,” the 2014 Tour winner said.

Froome said a stone or piece of asphalt jammed between his brake and rear wheel on the Col de la Croix de Fer climb, forcing him to pull up momentarily to unjam it. While Froome stopped, Nibali rode away.

Stopping short of saying Nibali should have waited for him, Froome said: “It was almost as if my mechanical (problem) provoked his attack.”

Nibali’s win on the exhausting Alpine stage rescued what has otherwise been a disappointing Tour.

There were also fireworks in the race and another spectator incident appearing to involve Froome.

On the stage’s final climb to the La Toussuire ski station, Nairo Quintana launched his most sustained and telling attack against Froome, and this time got the better of the 2013 champion.

Showing for the first time at this Tour that he’s not untouchable, Froome chose not to stay with the Colombian, his closest rival, as he accelerated away and started eating into the British rider’s overall race.

Froome said he preferred to save energy for Saturday’s last Alpine stage, which features two very hard climbs.

Froome’s lead of 2 minutes, 38 seconds over Quintana, down from 3:10 at the start, should be enough to get the British rider through the last competitive day in the Alps before the final stage to Paris on Sunday.