Team Sky raise the alarm as Tour de France fans turn violent
Sports director blames French media for whipping up negative sentiment against Chris Froome's team
It's not just rival teams trying to stop Team Sky winning the Tour de France — punches and Coca-Cola cans have been thrown in their direction too as they try to deliver Chris Froome to a victory in Paris.
Richie Porte, Froome's mountain helper, received a blow to his ribs while racing up the La Pierre-Saint-Martin on Monday. The hit came after he did his turn for Froome, who attacked from 6.4 kilometres out to win the stage.
"I don't think I deserve to be punched just for doing my job," Porte told Fairfax Media.
Porte added that the punched shocked and hurt him, but he had to continue to the line. He finished the stage in second place, just ahead of Nairo Quintana.
Team Sky's management have suggested that the attitude of the French media is one cause of the sometimes poisonous atmosphere at the roadside. Innuendo about doping has been rife. Former professional Laurent Jalabert said during the stage on Tuesday: "It feels a little uncomfortable seeing the ease of Sky when contrasted with the distress experienced by the first three of the Tour last year."
Jalabert won several one-day races, the Vuelta a España and the mountains jersey in the Tour de France, but tests later revealed that he used EPO.
“It's really disappointing,” Froome said about Jalabert. "These guys are setting the tone for the public, for the fans.”
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
>>> Richie Porte to leave Team Sky 'to become team leader'
Jalabert’s words might have helped propel cans of Coca-Cola, unopened, at Team Sky's car on Friday.
"It's terrible. Some French media are over doing it. They are asking questions that they can ask, but when you do that you put the doubts in the public,” Sky sports director, Frenchman Nicolas Portal, told Cycling Weekly.
"This person should be careful because with the microphone they have power. Thousands of people are listening. I've told the French press what I think of Jalabert. I don't think they are doing a good job in explaining what we are doing. He can do what he wants, and apparently he is doing a good job, but I don't think this is doing a good job to tell the public that we may be doing something [illegal]."
>>> Cycling quiz: Chris Froome in 10 questions
In the last two days, there have been more police officers standing around Sky's bus. It is unclear if this is just because Froome is wearing the yellow jersey, or whether there is genuine fear for Sky's riders.
Portal said that even if his riders do not admit to it, they could be concerned and even "scared" about possible violence.
"I hope the public will chill out. It's pretty hard, especially for me since I'm French," Portal said.
"There's nothing they can do — there is just a barrier and nothing else on the road [to stop anyone]. Anyone can cross the road and punch someone."
In 2013, a fan hit Peter Kennaugh at the Tour, but such incidents are hardly unheard of — in 1975, a fan punched Eddy Merckx on the Puy de Dome climb.
Get the inside line on Team Sky from team mechanic Gary Blem
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
-
56% unpaved, 44% paved and plenty of pitchy climbs: the 2024 UCI Gravel World Championships race course revealed
Come October, rainbow jersey hopefuls will tackle a Classics-like course in woodsy Flemish Brabant.
By Anne-Marije Rook Published
-
Tour of Britain uncertainty stalls RideLondon Classique expansion plan
Organiser planned to add extra stage to this year's race, but question marks over the Tour of Britain Women has meant plans have been cancelled
By Jeremy Whittle Published
-
The art of peaking with Geraint Thomas: 'It’s easy to take for granted that 9 times out of 10 I hit my goals'
The Welshman also calls for better governance in the sport to help it grow further
By Chris Marshall-Bell Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers’ 500th victory was claimed by a woman; why do they still not have a team?
The British squad is one of the richest in cycling - but Ineos still won’t stump up for a women’s team
By Adam Becket Published
-
'This is so much more than a number': Six of the best Ineos Grenadiers wins as team claims 500th race victory
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot took the 500th team win at the weekend
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tom Pidcock 'wouldn’t be surprised' to see attacks before the Poggio at Milan-San Remo
British rider will lead the line for Ineos Grenadiers alongside Filippo Ganna
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers delighted with Egan Bernal’s late cameo on stage one of Paris-Nice
Colombian snapped up key bonus seconds in the general classification battle on run in to Les Mureaux
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
‘It doesn’t change anything’ - Tom Pidcock’s coach on Tadej Pogačar at Strade Bianche
Kurt Bogaerts says the pressure is off for Pidcock as he looks to defend the title he emphatically won last year
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers say they will work with British Cycling to get Tour of Britain back on ‘as quickly as possible’
Ben Swift and Owain Doull both say it would be a "shame" were the Tour of Britain to be no more
By Adam Becket Published
-
‘We're now the hunter, not the hunted’ - New Ineos Grenadiers CEO commits to reclaiming top spot amongst WorldTour elite
John Allert outlines team’s targets and ambitions for 2024, including regaining Grand Tour dominance of old
By Tom Thewlis Published