CAUTERETS, France (AP) — The Latest from the 11th Stage of the Tour de France (all times local):
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2:55 p.m.
One of Chris Froome’s rivals has complained that the British rider’s team is being overly aggressive in protecting the Tour de France leader.
Steve Morabito, a rider on the FDJ team, says “some punches and elbows were thrown” as Froome’s teammates with Sky positioned themselves at the front of the peloton for the last climb on Stage 10. Froome handily won that stage in the Pyrenees, putting him in control of the race for Wednesday’s Stage 11, which was another trek through the mountains straddling France and Spain.
In a video posted on the team’s Twitter feed, Morabito said FDJ “had a spot at the front” at the foot of the long climb to the La Pierre-Saint-Martin ski station and that Sky riders “were very aggressive in repositioning themselves.”
He complained that the tactics weren’t “very fair,” saying “that’s not my vision of cycling.” Morabito, who isn’t a contender for victory, appealed for “a bit of calm,” noting that the Tour is only in its second week.
Sky riders led Froome up the first portion of Tuesday’s ascent before he accelerated to win.
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12:10 p.m.
After crushing his top opponents a day earlier, Chris Froome is wearing the Tour de France leader’s yellow jersey and the pack has set off for a tough 11th stage over six mountain climbs.
More Pyrenean punishment looms in Wednesday’s stage over the famed Tourmalet pass and five lesser ascents along a 188-kilometer (117-mile) loop from Pau to Cauterets in deep southern France.
Froome’s dominant performance — like when he won the Tour in 2013 — has revived suspicions about doping that has plagued cycling. The British rider says he is clean, and he has never tested positive for doping.
Froome leads Tejay van Garderen, the American leader of the BMC team who is second, by 2 minutes, 52 seconds.
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