Tour de France: Sir Dave Brailsford tells sprint critics to 'grow up'
By Matt Westby
Last Updated: 06/07/16 1:21pm
Sir Dave Brailsford has hit back at critics of Team Sky’s tactics on sprint stages by telling them to "grow up".
Team Sky and other general classification teams have come under fire at the Tour de France for riding at the front of the peloton on flat days in an attempt to keep their leaders safe.
Bernhard Eisel, of Mark Cavendish's Dimension Data team, said congestion at the head of the bunch was getting "ridiculous", while Etixx - Quick-Step's Marcel Kittel suggested the 3km rule, which dictates general classification times be taken with 3km to go on sprint stages, should be changed to 5km.
However, Brailsford told cyclingnews.com and the Daily Telegraph: "I don't see it as an argument. It's a bike race. Grow up, everybody.
"You come here to race a bike. Some guys want to stay safe on GC [general classification], some guys want to do the sprint. It goes with the territory. Get over it."
Team Sky and other GC teams ride at the front of the peloton in order keep their leaders ahead of potential crashes or splits in the bunch.
Chris Froome understands the sprint teams' complaints and suggested on Tuesday that gaps in the peloton of less than five seconds should not count.
Brailsford sees merit in both Froome and Kittel's suggestions but is wary of changing cycling's rules too much.
He added: "I think there are certain occasions when you could [change a rule] actually, in the interest of the race.
"I can see the logic of bringing in maybe 4km or 5km rule and GC times taken there, and then the stage would be played out after that. But if you make that rule then other arguments will pop up.
"Safety is something I would look after because everybody wants to see the big guys in the last couple of days."
