Even the most ardent critic of French table wine would be hard pressed convincing even the most ignorant of oenophiles that Chris Froome was doused in a glass of warm Chardonnay rather than the end product of a session on the sauce last week.
With the exception of some of the outspoken armchair Paul Kimmages on Twitter – whose sole raison d’etre seems to be spewing forth negative toxicity and lazy skepticism – no one would disagree that having one’s face showered in urine while riding in the fierce heat of the Massif Central is nothing but “extremely, extremely wrong – on so many levels”.
Froome is right to be “really disappointed”. He is right that what happened to him was “absolutely disgusting” and “extremely disrespectful”. And while he underplayed it somewhat by saying it was only merely “quite unfortunate” he’s bang on in his assertion that such a practice “is not sporting”.
Heck, I’d go as far to say that it wasn’t so much ‘not in the name of sport’ as opposing all levels of basic human decency.
It’s one thing pulling moonies on the side of the road – as practically half the population of 20-something male fans at the Tour this year seem to be doing.
It’s perhaps understandable, if not exactly acceptable, that some of these flashing fans (not to mention those prudish souls keeping their clothes on) find it in themselves to shout “dopés” at the cyclists as they fly past.
But punching Richie Porte purely because he’s wearing a Team Sky jersey? Throwing urine at the yellow jersey? This has gone way too far.
Those riders in question are under no illusions that the press has helped create an atmosphere where other journalists are forced to report on such behaviour on their front pages rather than the race itself.
“I think some of the reporting on the race has been, erm, how do I say, erm… it hasn’t been professional. And I think that’s what’s led to this incident today,” Froome said in his post-stage interview at Mende after Britain’s Steve Cummings became the third British rider after Mark Cavendish and the yellow jersey to snare a stage on this year’s race.
As for Porte, in a frank and moving interview with Richard Moore of the Cycling Podcast he asserted that the “journalists whipping up all the rubbish” needed “to be held a little bit accountable for our safety as well”.
“Do I deserve to be booed? Does Chris Froome deserve to have all this? I don’t think so. Maybe in ten years time they’re going to see that all these victories are legitimate. I still don’t expect them to come back and apologise but I just think it’s a disgrace how some of these people carry on,” he said.
“At the end of the day, I’m just a kid from Tasmania who moved to Italy to ride my bike, and look, I’ve never taken any shortcuts and it’s a disgrace that they’re saying the same thing about Chris Froome.”
Porte stressed that he’d “put his hand in the fire” for any of his Sky teammates because he knew they’re efforts were all “legitimate”.
“Just because this team has got its act together and is doing everything right, because we’re so organised and committed… It gets to the point where you are human and you can only put up with so much.”
The French media has been especially cynical of Sky’s performances, with Pierre Ballester – one of the journalists responsible for bringing down Lance Armstrong – telling newspaper La Libération that Sky were “killing the Tour” while comparing Froome to the shamed American.
In his role as cycling consultant for French TV and radio, former French cyclist Laurent Jalabert has particularly irked Sky by claiming Froome was “on another planet” – deliberately using the same vernacular that was famously used by L’Équipe in describing Armstrong’s performances.
“It’s surreal to see just how superior Froome is, with that super astonishing style, turning the legs at a phenomenal rate on gradients touching 15 per cent,” Jalabert told RTL Radio after Froome’s win at La Pierre-Saint-Martin.
“It’s certainly spectacular and leaves us speechless. It’s not normal to see a rider turning his legs at that speed while other riders are glued to the road like Contador, Nibali and the rest. There’s a world between them and it made me feel a bit uncomfortable.”
For a man who was left feeling more than a bit uncomfortable after being named in the French senate report of 2013 as having traces of EPO found in his urine from the 1998 Tour, Jalabert’s words reeked of hypocrisy.
So much so that his British TV counterparts took Jalabert to task one day in the media zone, with ITV‘s Matt Rendall asking him to explain the cynicism and insinuation behind his belief that Froome’s performances were “verging on the ridiculous”.
“I have no comments to make on that,” Jalabert said before flatly denying he had even uttered such a claim. “It’s not true – it’s the press that made comments like that, not me.”
Jalabert’s bizarre assertion that he was “just a spectator” at the race seemed at odds with his professional role during the Tour and his very presence in the media zone with a press pass dangling around his neck – and when put on the spot about his own alleged doping indiscretions, Jalabert kept very quiet, choosing instead to flee the scene.
Having retweeted a link to the segment, Froome then sent a public message to Jalabert, saying: “If you’re going to deny making statements about me maybe you should remember that you’re being recorded on live TV/Radio.”
Of all Jalabert’s statements, the one I found most intriguing was the former sprinter-cum-climber’s colourful description of Froome’s rivals “exploding one after the other, like popcorn, with time losses verging on the ridiculous in some cases. Nibali, the defending champion, lost more than four minutes.”
In fact, it made me think back to the 1995 Tour de France when Jalabert roared up the Col de la Croix Neuve in Mende to finish more than five minutes ahead of Miguel Indurain, the defending champion.
Such was the ferocity of Jalabert’s performance they renamed the climb the Montée Jalabert – although it was switched back following the former green and polka-dot jersey winner’s fall from grace in 2013.
Which brings me neatly to one stat that should shut the bilious traps of Jalabert et al.
For all this talk of ridiculous time losses, it’s worth highlighting that if you take out the opening time trial, the team time trial and the crosswind splits in Stage 2 Froome has only taken 1:16 out of Nairo Quintana in three uphill finales – and where’s the cup of piss dripping off the Colombian’s brow?
Such paltry time gaps are hardly the stuff of aliens from another planet.
Sure, Froome has made the likes of Vincenzo Nibali, Alberto Contador, Thibaut Pinot, Jean-Christophe Peraud and Romain Bardet look fairly ordinary – but is that so much of a surprise?
Victims of their own hype following last year’s success in the absence of Froome, the Frenchmen were out of touch after the first three stages, Nibali, like Bradley Wiggins after his Tour victory, has been inconsistent all year, while Contador arrived at the Tour after winning a particularly testing Giro d’Italia. As for Quintana – he may yet come to life in the Alps.
So until you have some facts and more than just a gut-feeling, forget all this lazy doping innuendo. What would really be criminal would be if Chris Froome was not winning this Tour by three minutes ahead of the Alps.
Criminal, for sure, yet not punishable by a glass of urine to the face – not even the most acidic and tasteless of French vins de table.
Da Spoon
Guest
Australia did not appear in any of our history lessons at School. I know it's near New Zealand though.
Da Spoon
Guest
We would not accuse others of cheating. It's not our style. If we get beaten it's bcause the opposition were better Than us. No excuses.
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
And the English also do not do the same to the Australians. Your having a laugh mate, it goes both ways. Where has their been abuse towards Sky, Cavendish, Wiggins or the Olympic track team without reason? The questions against Sky are completely logical questions that need to be answered.
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Look up the history between Australia and England. Might have something to do with it....
Da Spoon
Guest
You say this is a not a nationalist issue but this whole site seems to single out British sportsmen above all other nations for abuse and defamation. Wiggins, cavendish, Sky and the Olympic track team have all been on receiving end of accusations. You also have a go at our cricket team, football team and our Olympians in other disciplines. It just makes you look vindictive and jealous when you don't win. Why not have a go a the USA or Germany or Azerbaijan instead.
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Porte and Evans have no such anomalies in terms of their performance. Froome has big question marks that have not been answered. The scepticism is because in 2011, Froome was horrid up until July, then in August, he was the best climber in the world. No other rider has had such a rise. Stop making it a nationalistic issue, which it is not.
Albert
Guest
"And no, it’s not just Australia’s being sceptical…." Maybe not but would there be so much scepticism if it was Cadel or Ritchie doing the winning for Sky? I think not because, obviously all Aussies are straight up, morally and physically superior and wouldn't ever think of cheating. I suspect the comments would have been along the lines of look at Pommie team need Aussies to show them how to win. As far Froome being a Kenyan yes he was born there but his mom and dad were British and he has always considered himself to be British (like a number of white people born and brought up in Kenya). As a Pom I would actually prefer he rode under Kenyan flag. But you Aussies can't have it both ways i.e. you hate him because he rides as a Brit and then knock the Poms for supporting him because he's not a real Brit . Aussie sports fans really need to grow up and get over their hatred of all things English/British.
JimmyB
Guest
Best look in your own backyard mate. You show a startling lack of awareness and a huge amount of misplaced prejudice. That noise you just heard by the way was your glass house being smashed to smithereens.
Wicked Ninja
Guest
They only sell Fosters in the UK, and Chris Froome is Kenyan - he only rides with a UK licence due to a disagreement with the Kenyan Federation. Given the general perception of migrants (and their children) in the UK and how they are seen as foreign regardless of citizenship status, it is interesting how your country has adopted Chris Froome as one of your own. It wouldn't have anything to do with the victories and his white skin, would it?
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Well look at it this way. If Froome is beating convicted dopers, people will automatically assume certain things. You can blame the sports predecessors.for that view. Other reasons for people's suspicion of Froome include the fact that he was an absolute nobody in July 2011, then after the 2011 Vuelta, he was the best climber in the world, he had missed tests in the leadup to the tour, Team Sky said when they were first launched that they were going to be a clean team, yet go and hire doctor Gert Linders, who was known for a dodgy past at Rabobank, the list goes on and on. And no, it's not just Australia's being sceptical....
Da Spoon
Guest
Yes but sky seem to come in for all the abuse on here. Despite the convicted dopers being on the rival teams valverde on Movistar (Quintanas main man) Contador and Mick Rogers (some how got let off on the dodgy meat excuse) on Saxo and don't get me going about Nibali and Astana. It all seems so hypocritical and fuelled by anti British attitudes by many in your country.
Brendon Vella
Roar Guru
Unfortunately, what happened in the past will make these accusations an ever present problem that the riders will now need to face it.
JimmyB
Guest
Just pooped over to have a look at the cycling forum and read this article and enjoyed it very much, then I read the comments underneath and realised that the cycling forum is no different to any of the other sports forums on the Roar. Aussies having very large chips on their shoulders seems to be a fairly universal theme. Congrats to Froome and Team Sky. It's a very sad indictment on cycling that a team or an individual simply aren't aallowed to be better prepared, work harder, outperform their rivals without accusations being thrown around instantly.
smell the fear
Guest
hes not British, hes Kenyan. Remember that country you pillaged for centuries just like many others, wiping out indigenous population and exploiting the humans for wealth and resources?
Da Spoon
Guest
But Sky are a distant fourth in the team standings. They have been tactically superior in this race and handled the first week better than the rest when it was expected that Niball would have taken control given the cobbles and puncher finishes. Astana, Movistar and Saxo have had the strength in numbers at the front and this is reflected in them being ahead of Sly in the team standings. The time gaps are the most believable for years. The top two are very even if you take in to account the Quintana missing the break on Stage 2.. Yet only Froome gets the accusations. The irresponsible comments we see on sites like this fuels the idiots that throw urine, spit and otherwise make nuisance of themselves at sporting events. It does not happen at The Open, Wimbeldon, Derby, Ashes etc . We treat the competitors with respect.
Da Spoon
Guest
If sky win the tour it will be celebrated as another British win here. Why shouldn't it? Yes Froome was born in kenya, educated in South Africa and lives in Monaco. But he rides under British licence for a British team is of British ancestry and has a British passport,. He also rode for GB at the last Olympics (and won a medal). So yes he qualifies as a Brit in my eyes and I for one will celebrate his success as one of our own. Do you cheer for your overseas born stars. I've looked on google and there are plenty of them. Not going to cut and paste the names into here though as that would be childish.
Rob Gremio
Roar Pro
I disagree that this is sour grapes from the "Aussies", because, let's face it, we're not the ones punching (an Aussie) Team Sky Riders or throwing cups of urine on them. It is perfectly legitimate to have doubts about the performance of the most dominant team of the last 3 or so years, given all that has gone on in the past, just like it is reasonable to doubt anything Contador has achieved given is "tainted meat" ban back in 2010. There is nothing wrong with Sky dominating, provided they do it clean. Many of us (me included) marvelled at Armstrong's performances back in the day, and were impressed by the strength and power of US Postal/Discovery Chanel in those days. Tell me how all that worked out? So you need to forgive us for our scepticism. It is only natural.
Ryan
Guest
Seriously cant tell if you actually think Froome is British or your just trolling.
Da Spoon
Guest
Not since 1962 when we gave Kenya independence. There are still lots f Brits living there though. Including the Froome family. If you look at the GC results (look at the top to see the British riders) you'll see a flag next to froomes name. It's the sane one that's is on your Aussie flag presumably because you can't invent your own. It's called the union flag and it is the flag of GREAT Britain.
Lee Rodgers
Expert
I'm a pacifist...