SPORTS Tuesday, July 18, 2017 23 Nairo distances himself from Froome keen father’s criticism

Britain’s Christopher Froome signs autographs before a training session to extend lead Le Puy-en-Velay, the Briton said he’d want more of a only 1min 12sec further “ has always been hris Froome admitted yesterday buffer to feel genuinely secure. back. strong in the last week of a Grand he wouldn’t feel serene during “I wouldn’t be sleeping easy (if But it is Uran who Froome fears Tour and he also has the team Saturday’sC time-trial in Marseille that’s the advantage he had on most as the Colombian is usually (AG2R) to back him up, as we saw in the penultimate Saturday). We always knew it was the best time-trialist of the Sky team yesterday -- he put me under a lot of Le Puy-en-Velay, France stage unless he can take more time going to be a close race and that’s leader’s closest competitors. pressure yesterday and we really had our de France hopeful Nairo out of his rivals beforehand. exactly what it is,” said the 32-year- “Each rival presents different to use the whole team just to control Quintana sprung to the defence The stage 20 race against the clock old reigning champion. threats. If you look at Fabio Aru, he that situation. ofT his Movistar team yesterday after will be the last opportunity for any “This was to be expected and I won the first mountain-top finish “Rigoberto Uran may be more of his father had blasted the Spanish overall contender to make a bid for knew that every stage, every single on the Planche des Belles Filles. the dark horse who just slips under outfit in the Colombian press. the yellow jersey. second is going to count.” “Perhaps he didn’t have such a the radar a little bit. This has been a Tour to forget And even though Froome is widely Three riders currently sit within good day a couple of days ago, (but) “He’s probably the strongest time- for Quintana and Movistar, right considered a better time-trialist than 30 seconds of Froome -- Aru at 18, he’s been strong in the third week (of trialist of this group of GC riders, so since the opening stage. his rivals, and he currently leads the Romain Bardet at 23 and Rigoberto a ) before. We’ll have to with Marseille in mind he’s a big , who was race by 18 seconds from Fabio Aru, Uran at 29 -- with fourth placed wait and see how he goes. threat.” (AFP) third overall two years ago, crashed out in the stage one time-trial and suffered a broken kneecap. Since then, Quintana has been Analytical Martin Bardet hits out at far from his brilliant best, losing almost four minutes to his yellow jersey rivals on Sunday when he Froome boo-boys dropped to 11th and more than six taking Tour in stride Le Puy-en-Velay, France minutes off the pace of leader Chris omain Bardet yesterday Froome. hit out at French fans He is paying for having ridden fromR his home region who in May’s Giro d’Italia, where jeered Tour de France leader he finished second, and has . complained of tiredness during the The 15th stage of the Tour Tour. passed through Bardet’s That led to his father telling a Auvergne region on Sunday Colombian radio station that where he basked in passionate Movistar are flogging his son and support while Froome was compromising his Tour chances. subjected to jeers and insults “I haven’t spoken to my father from some people. Romain Bardet for a few days. He has his opinion, AG2R leader Bardet was champions Clermont, the top what people tell him,” said runner-up to Froome last team in the Auvergne. Quintana. year and this year sits just 23 “It was great to go through “He’s getting drunk on the seconds behind the Sky team that, even though there was a people’s praise, for his words, for leader in third place. slight snag to it. his frustrations, in one way or “It was great to be “I heard that Froome was another, by all Colombians.” supported like never before, abused at times. I’m really But Quintana said this is only it felt like I was in the Marcel sorry, he’s a champion who happening because the Tour is Michelin stadium over 189 should be respected, who I going badly. kilometres,” said Bardet, respect as a rival and who “When you’re in front and referring to the ground of doesn’t deserve that kind of winning, no-one says anything and Ireland’s Daniel Martin (C) rides the French rugby union treatment.” (AFP) everything’s perfect. (AFP)

Saint-Étienne, France it’s happened. The thing that grates me a ut for a crash a week ago, Dan Martin little bit is missing out on the opportunity The main contenders to win the Tour de France could be wearing the Tour de France to win the stage, because at that point I was With 875.5 km (6 stages) before the finish in Paris, 3 riders are within 30 seconds of Froome Byellow jersey instead of Chris Froome, but very confident I was the fastest sprinter Rigoberto Romain Fabio Christopher the Irishman is unfazed by what might there,” he said. Uran Bardet Aru Froome have been. Nonetheless, since losing that chunk, (COL) (FRA) (ITA) (GBR) The 30-year-old was hugely unlucky to Martin has been steadily snatching back aged 30 aged 26 aged 27 aged 32 have been taken down by as time on Froome and the other contenders, the Australian crashed on a speedy descent. a few seconds at a time. Martin got up, dusted himself down On Thursday he took nine seconds off and got to the finish of that ninth stage, Froome and another nine on Friday. He but 1min 15sec behind Froome and other was one of only two riders not to lose time overall contenders. to the champion on Saturday and then *41.198 km/h As the Quick Step rider now sits 1:12 snatched 14 more seconds on Sunday. average speed behind Froome, many have pointed out Having dropped from 25sec off the that he could have been in yellow but for yellow jersey to 1:44 back after his crash, that crash, and the back problem he has Martin has recovered 32sec of his deficit in suffered from ever since. just four days. 29 sec. 23 sec. at 18 seconds 64h40:21 But not Martin. And he says it’s down to greater tactical 332 m 263 m or 206 metres 2,664.5 km* “The GC (overall) time, I’ve ignored it, acumen than he had in the past. (AFP) based on the average speed of Froome ridden