BAGNERES DELUCHON, France (AP) Chris Froome was among riders whose eyes needed treatment for tear gas when police intervened to disperse farmers protesting against funding cuts by disrupting the Tour de France today.
Bales of hay blocked the road 18 kilometers into the 135-mile stage from Carcassonne to Bagneres De-Luchon. Tour organizers said police used tear gas to disperse the protesters as the peloton approached.
Fourt-time champion Froome, race leader Geraint Thomas, and world champion Peter Sagan were among those affected by the chemical. Froome was treated with eye drops and Sagan poured water over his face to clean his eyes.
Stage 16 resumed after a 15-minute delay.
According to French media, the small group of farmers from the local Ariege department were protesting against the reduction of European Union funding.
This Tour has been marred by incidents.
Race organizers have struggled to deal with angry fans protesting Froomes participation. After fans threw flares at riders in the climb to the ski resort of Alpe dHuez, Tour organizers banned the use of smoke flares for the rest of the race.
Froome raced all season under the cloud of a potential ban for using twice the permitted level of salbutamol during his victory at the Spanish Vuelta in September. He was cleared just before the Tour. He said he has been repeatedly spat at since the race started, and spectators have punched him.
Froome sits second in the general classification, 1 minute, 39 seconds behind Sky teammate Thomas.
