The Tour de France riders delayed after being sprayed with chemicals during the demonstration of the farmers

BAGNERES-DE-LUCHON, France – Tear gas in the eyes of the riders. A demonstration of farmers blocking the road. Two major falls on dangerous descents

The only thing missing from the wild 16th stage of the Tour de France on Tuesday was a reshuffle in the overall standings.

Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe took advantage of his downhill skills to win the first of three mountainous legs in the Pyrenees, which was briefly interrupted when police used tear gas to disperse a farmer protest that blocked the road. with hay bales.

The overall ranking remained unchanged. Geraint Thomas in the yellow jersey, Chris Froome in second place and Tom Dumoulin in third place were almost nine minutes late.

The farmers' demonstration took place 30 kilometers from Carcbadonne to Bagnères-de-Luchon

Thomas, Froome, world champion Peter Sagan and other runners were treated with eye drops because of tear gas with a delay of 15 minutes.

"I just felt my throat and my nose burning, my eyes were burning," Froome said. "But I think a lot of riders were in a similar situation"

"Fortunately, the effect did not last long," added Froome. "It was just a temporary thing to sting and burn."

This was the last in a series of incidents involving spectators during this year's race, with Team Sky riders sprouting and spitting and 2014 champion Vincenzo Nibali having his back broken in an accident when a fan caught their camera strap on his handlebars.

"We feel safe … Of course, in some climbs, not everyone is our fans, but we do not feel threatened," Thomas said. "It's hard to ride a bike when you're right on the road, it's not like football or something like that, everyone is doing their best and we hope everyone can behave and let us run. "

The small group of farmers in the department of Aude was protesting against a planned cut in funding for the European Union.

"We will not lock the riders in a stadium or tennis court," said Tour director Christian Prudhomme. "People should not block the road, no matter what causes they are fighting for."

Thomas stayed 1 minute 39 seconds ahead of quadruple champion Froome, with Dumoulin 1:50 in return.

Alaphilippe took the lead when Adam Yates crashed on a technical run in the final.

"I knew the final was tricky," said Alaphilippe. "I was sad for (Yates) but that could have happened to me too, because I took a lot of risks … I went all over 220 kilometers today. I'm exhausted. "

Belgian pilot Philippe Gilbert was leading when he crashed earlier in the special down the Portet-d 'Aspet Pbad. He hit a wall and ripped off his motorcycle dramatically, avoiding a major injury.It is the same descent that the Italian Fabio Casartelli died during the 1995 Tour.

"I thought I was broken everywhere", said Gilbert, an Alaphilippe teammate on the Quick-Step team. "But I found myself more or less OK."

Alaphilippe also won the 10th stage and wears the polka dot jersey of the leader in mountain rankings.

Yates led Alaphilippe 20 seconds to the summit of the climb of Col du Portillon 10 kilometers from the finish, but lost control with 6K to go, falling on the pavement on a left turn and slipping on the road.

"You never know what's going on in some of these turns," Yates said. "There was a little support or something and I went down, that's all there is to it."

"Morale is very bad right now, if you're so close to winning a Tour stage, it's pretty devastating," said Yates, who won the Tour Young Riders' standings. is two years old.

Alaphilippus, who was already gaining ground on Yates, quickly pbaded the British runner and had time to rejoice before the finish, smiling to the crowd and shaking his head. ;incredulity.

Gorka Izaguirre was second 15 seconds behind and Yates was third at the same time.

The race remains in the Pyrenees on Wednesday for what could be the most difficult stage of the Tour, a 65-kilometer stage from Bagnères-de-Luchon to Saint-Lary-Soulan The Portet Pbad is characterized by three grueling climbs, including a difficult ascent – and barely a stretch of flat road.

"It's going to be mbadively decisive," Thomas said. "This last climb is probably the most difficult of the Tour – 16 kilometers, 2200 meters (altitude) .There will certainly be splits."

– with files of Samuel Petrequin and Ciaran Fahey