Tour de France: Chris Froome begs fans not to take the p*** and respect the Yellow Jersey as he bids for FOURTH crown

Ian Gordon in Dusseldorf

Published: 0:14, 1 Jul 2017
Updated: 12:03, 1 Jul 2017

CHRIS FROOME is urging Tour de France fans not to take the p*** — and respect the Yellow Jersey.

The reigning champ launches his bid for a FOURTH title in Dusseldorf today with Team Sky still engulfed in a doping probe.

Chris Froome at the Tour de France unveiling as he gets set to attempt to win his fourth Tour titleCredit: Reuters

Chris Froome has begged fans not to give him a hard time on the roadside but his requests often fall on deaf earsCredit: Reuters

But Froome hopes he will not be targeted on the roads of Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium and France over the next three weeks — just like two years ago.

Back then, Froome had urine thrown at him, while some Sky team-mates were spat at, punched and verbally abused.

Froome, 32, said: “I hope the fans won’t take it out on me this time — you want the Yellow Jersey to be respected.

“What happened before is not what you want to see at a bike race. It starts detracting from the actual race.

“But we’ve raced on French roads a few times this year in the Criterium du Dauphine and had absolutely no issues.”

Two years ago Froome was the target of unfounded doping slurs by ex-French riders, which sparked the hostility.

The Monaco-based ace has vigorously argued he is a clean rider.

Chris Froome makes last-minute adjustments to his time trial bike ahead of the first stage of the Tour de FranceCredit: Reuters

The Tour de France starts in Dusseldorf in Germany before crossing into Belgium and then FranceCredit: Sun Graphics

Sky are now being investigated over Sir Bradley Wiggins’ sick notes, which allowed him to take a banned steroid before three major races — including his historic 2012 Tour de France win.

And Sky faced more questions over the contents of a Jiffybag sent to Wiggo before a race in France, which the team say contained a legal decongestant.

Chris Froome and Dave Brailsford are getting ready to make another assault on the Tour de FranceCredit: Reuters

Richie Porte and his BMC team-mates get ready to go head-to-head with Chris Froome at the Tour de FranceCredit: Getty Images

But Froome, who last night signed a new £12million three-year deal with Team Sky, said: “I don’t have any trust issues with team-mates.

“I’ve been part of this team since the beginning and I’ve never seen anything untoward.”

Nairobi-born Froome is gearing up for a 21-stage, 2,199-mile slog which he admits will be his toughest test.

Chris Froome won the Yellow Jersey at last year's Tour de FranceCredit: Getty Images

Bradley Wiggins has been under the microscope this year after it emerged he may have used a corticosteroid without permission at a raceCredit: AP:Associated Press

Chris Froome has the image of a rhino painted on to the side of his Pinarello road bikeCredit: AP:Associated Press

He has not won a race this year and ex-Sky team-mate Richie Porte, France’s Romain Bardet, Colombians Esteban Chaves and Nairo Quintana look dangerous.

And Froome added: “If I was able to win, I’d feel it was my biggest victory.

“With it being a fourth, that would be extremely special. And it would put me into a very select group of people who have won that many Tours.”

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