Froome: Dopers shouldn’t accuse me on TV
CHRIS FROOME stepped up his war of words with the French media last night as the Tour de France leader questioned whether former riders linked to doping should be allowed on TV to raise doubts about his credibility.
On a day when Team Sky rider Geraint Thomas escaped serious injury when he was forced off the road, hitting his head on a telephone pole, Froome finished safely among his main rivals to protect his 3min 10sec lead over Nairo Quintana.
The British rider was more concerned at coming under fire from Laurent Jalabert and Cedric Vasseur, the two Frenchmen insinuating he may not be clean. On Sunday night Froome tweeted Jalabert and after yesterday’s stage into Gap the 2013 Tour winner went on the attack again.
Asked how he felt about ‘former dopers’ giving their opinion on television, Froome said: ‘ I’m not a fan of that. I don’t believe these people are the best role models and spokespeople for cycling.
‘But, unless I’m missing something, there hasn’t been the same kind of outcry for power data and numbers in the last five Tours. I didn’t see the same level of questioning. I won one mountain stage by 59 seconds. It seems strange to me.’
Today Sir Dave Brailsford is expected to release more performance data in a bid to silence Froome’s accusers.
The Team Sky boss had to endure a difficult appearance on French television on Sunday night. Leading French sports physiologist Dr Pierre Sallet calculated that Froome produced 7.04 watts per kg during his ascent at La Pierre-Saint-Martin, adding that only doped cyclists had achieved such a figure in the past.
Sallet’s numbers were flawed, not least because he incorrectly estimated Froome’s weight. Had that been accurate, the figures would have been off the scale and implausible.
Brailsford said: ‘They want transparency but they won’t give you the mathematical model of the estimations they’re using. And when you estimate there’s a margin for error.’
Froome received support from triple Tour champion Greg LeMond, who said: ‘ I don’t think you should ever make that judgment off one climb.’
Brailsford has called for more support from the UCI, but presi- den dent Brian Cookson declined to disc discuss the focus on Froome.
Th The stage, won by Ruben Plaz Plaza Molina and complicated by spectatorss putting tacks in the road, almost proved disastrous for Team Sky.
Peter Kennaugh withdrew with illness and the tricky descent off the Col de Manse almost marked the end for Thomas after a mistake by Warren Barguil forced him off the road.
Amazingly, the Welshman recovered to finish 38 seconds behind Froome. ‘The doctor asked me my name and stuff to check I was OK,’ he explained. ‘I said I was Chris Froome.’