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The Tour de France changed scenery leaving the Alps for this 13th stage between Bourg-d'Oisans (Isère) and Valence (Drôme) and the atmosphere around the Sky team of the yellow jersey Geraint Thomas became much calmer again.
The storm that threatened over the finish line remained in the air of the Drôme and did not reach the ceremonial ceremony at the time of the handover. yellow jersey, under the eyes of the French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.
Certainly, the reception of the Welsh 32 years was much less warm than the many ovations that the Slovak Peter Sagan winner of his third stage this year, received from his fan club. But it was very far from the whistles and boos Thomas had received at Alpe d'Huez. And the applause in the Drôme were more numerous than the hostile words.
"When I saw the pictures yesterday on TV, the ascent or the podium, I was ashamed. That's why I applaud him tonight " Stéphanie, 30-year-old from Valence, came to witness the arrival of the 13th stage of the Grand Loop.
An opinion shared by many spectators but counter-balanced by Thierry, 52, who has been following the test for many, many years. "Thomas, it's the Sky, and Sky, it's Chris Froome, I can not trust these runners" he launches, wearing a green jersey
Froome laureate of the Tour de France four times (2013, 2015, 2016, 2017), was allowed to participate in the race just five days before the Grand Départ de Vendée, after the dismissal of a procedure nine-month anti-doping against him.
"Some jealousy"
Tom, 17-year-old teenager who came with his father on the tour routes to encourage Sky training, expected such public reactions french. "I was not surprised by what happened in Alpe d'Huez, it's like a habit" he says, following his 5th Tour, straight from a region on the border between England and Wales. That's good, a Welsh (Thomas) is in yellow and an Englishman (Chris Froome) is second in the general standings.
In the morning in front of the team buses, only one formation attracted a large part of the onlookers who came see the runners of the Tour de France. The eyes were turned to the Sky bus, placed not far from the entrance of the village departure.
To read also: In Mende, the favorites are wary of the final
Chris Froome, who had concentrated the hostility of a small part of the spectators in Alpe d'Huez, arrived by bike, to applause and without insults. "I think it shows a certain jealousy of a part of the public towards the Sky" estimates James Cbadey, an English supporter who was in the climb of Alpe d'Huez Thursday afternoon. 19659002] Ron Tyler and his wife Donna, residents of Calgary, pulled out their Canadian flag Friday morning in front of the Sky bus. Placed at the foot of Alpe d'Huez in turn 20, they insisted that the atmosphere at their level, was good child. The tension around Sky, descended at the same time as the altitude, will be scrutinized again Saturday, with an arrival in side on the heights of Mende for the 14th stage of the Tour.
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