TEAR DE FRANCE!
Mayhem as cyclists ride into a cloud of tear gas sprayed by French police battling militant farmers
THE Tour de France descended into chaos yesterday when the lead pack of cyclists were hit by a cloud of tear gas as police battled militant farmers.
British riders Geraint Thomas and Chris Froome were among those forced to stop for medical treatment as officers used the spray to break up a protest by French farmers who had blocked the race route with hay bales.
The cyclists were just 18 miles into the 135-mile stage between Carcassonne and Bagneres- de-Luchon when they were stopped by the stand- off. The farmers had stacked hay bales over the road outside Fanjeaux to protest at the reduction of funding from the European Union, according to local reports.
In an attempt to clear the path before the cyclists arrived, police sprayed the protesters with tear gas. But the chemical was blown back by the wind, hitting the lead pack of cyclists – known as the peloton – as they approached the makeshift barricade.
The race was halted as riders received treatment at the side of the road. Welsh rider Mr Thomas, who currently holds the leader’s yellow jersey, was seen pinching his eyes in discomfort, while former Tour de France champion Mr Froome was treated with eye drops.
Mr Thomas said last night: ‘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.’
Frenchman Pierre Latour, who wears the white jersey for the best young rider, said: ‘With the headwind, the gas came back to the peloton. Lots of us had to stop to drink and douse water over our eyes.’
The stage resumed after a 15minute delay.
Tour director Christian Prudhomme condemned the farmers’ action and demanded more respect for riders. He said: ‘The road should remain free. We are not going to lock the riders in a stadium or on a tennis court.
‘The riders’ job is extremely dangerous, they are taking risks every day. People should not block the road, no matter what causes they are fighting for.’
Despite the disruption, Mr Thomas retained the yellow jersey at the end of the 16th stage. The British rider has led the pack for most of the three-week race, with just five stages to go before they cross the finishing line on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on Sunday.
This year the race has been marred by angry fans protesting at Mr Froome’s participation, after he faced a potential ban for using twice the permitted level of asthma medication salbutamol during his victory at the Spanish Vuelta in September. He was cleared just before the race began, but has been repeatedly spat at and punched by spectators.
Fans were also banned from using smoke flares on the route after some threw them at riders during the climb to the ski resort of Alpe d’Huez.