Hinault labelled ‘irresponsible’ for strike call if Froome starts

Team Sky have called comments by Bernard Hinault “irresponsible and illinformed” after the fivetime Tour de France winner urged rival riders to go on strike if Chris Froome competes in this year’s race.

Froome intends to seek a record-equalling fifth overall Tour title, and fourth in a row, next month despite returning an adverse analytical finding for Salbutamol en route to victory in La Vuelta last year.

Hinault, 63, has argued that Froome should be sidelined until the case is resolved, and he wants rival riders to refuse to race if Froome is on the start-line of the Tour on 7 July.

Hinault has equated Froome’s adverse analytical finding to a positive doping test, which brought a terse response from Team Sky.

“It is disappointing that Bernard Hinault has, once again, repeated factually incorrect comments about a case he clearly does not understand,” a team statement said. “His comments are irresponsible and illinformed. Chris has not had a positive test, rather an adverse analytical finding for a prescribed asthma medication. As an ex-rider himself, Bernard will appreciate the need for fairness for each and every athlete. At the current time, Chris is entitled to race.

“This process would normally be confidential to protect the athlete and establish the facts. Unfortunately, it was leaked. However, both Chris and the team are following the process that has been put in place by the UCI.

“It is clearly a difficult situation which no one wants resolved more quickly than Chris and the team.

“Chris and Team Sky are fully-focused on the upcoming Tour de France and won’t let these uneducated comments affect our preparation for the greatest race in the world.”

Froome last month won the Giro d’italia to hold all three Grand Tour titles at the same time. A victory in France next month would see him join Hinault, Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil and Miguel Indurain for the most wins in Tour history, and make him the first man to complete the Giro-tour double since Marco Pantani in 1998.