Sky opens on Hinault

TEAM SKY have hit back at Tour de France legend Bernard Hinault for calling on the peloton to strike if Chris Froome is allowed to defend his title.

Froome’s team said Hinault’s viewpoint was “uneducated” and added: “His comments are irresponsible and ill-informed.”

Four-times champ Froome returned an adverse drugs test in September after twice the permitted level of asthma medication salbutamol showed up in his urine sample.

But his case is being investigated by the UCI so he is not banned from racing.