Dave Brailsford said that the treatment of Team Sky has been unacceptable.GETTY IMAGES
Team Sky Principal Dave Brailsford believes the "spitting, booing and physical intimidation" to which his riders have been subjected at this Tour de France is a phenomenon particular to "French culture," adding that unless French fans start to "respect top international teams," they may find teams "do not come any more," according to Tom Cary of the London TELEGRAPH. Brailsford said that "the treatment being meted out to his team was unacceptable." Brailsford: "I don't think it's going to stop. I'm not too optimistic on that front. We're trying to remain dignified, we're trying not to react and we're trying not to get distracted by it. But I don't think spitting and throwing things has a place in professional sport." One fan was arrested on Alpe d'Huez last Thursday for allegedly punching Chris Froome, while another "pushed him as he rode past." Brailsford added that it seemed to be "a French thing." He said, "It's interesting that we've just done the Tour of Italy and Chris' case was [still] open and the Italians were fantastic. It just seems to be a French thing. Like a French cultural thing. I'm not sure they'd have liked their football players being spat at in Russia. I'm sure there would have been a word or two about that. But it's OK to spit on us, and on our staff" (TELEGRAPH, 7/23).
'AMAZING POSITION': REUTERS' Julien Pretot reported Froome, who trails fellow Briton Geraint Thomas by 1 minute and 39 seconds before the race hits the Pyrenees, insisted on Monday that the non-aggression pact will "not be broken" as Team Sky is "focused on winning the Tour with one or the other leader." Froome said, "All this talk of attacking or not attacking ... we are in an amazing position, we are one and two. It's not up to us to be attacking. It's for all the others to make up time on us and dislodge us from the position we're in" (REUTERS, 7/23).
