Team Sky getting booed
Thomas won at La Rosière summit finish on stage 11 and at the famous Alpe d’Huez climb the very next day. He’s ridden in the yellow jersey for the sixth day in a row now, but the joy is somewhat clouded by the ambiguous reception Team Sky has been getting from the fans.
“There’s obviously been a bit of negativity which isn’t nice, but you have to stay strong in your head and crack on. The way I see it, I would rather be in this jersey, having the race of my life and getting booed for whatever than being dropped on the first climb and everyone cheering you,” Thomas said after the 15th stage finish in Carcassonne.
Gianni Moscon didn’t try very hard to win the fans over when he punched the young French rider Elie Gesbert (Fortuneo-Samsic) shortly after the start of Sunday’s stage. The Italian rider was a key domestique for Geraint Thomas in the first two weeks, and Team Sky is facing yet more troubles after the organisers decided to disqualify him.
“We support and accept the decision by the race organisers to exclude Gianni Moscon from the Tour de France,” Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford said. “Gianni is desperately disappointed in his behaviour and knows that he has let himself, the Team and the race down. We will address this incident with Gianni once the Tour is complete and decide then if any further action should be taken.”
