Tour de France: Team Sky to release Chris Froome's power data

Team Sky are planning to release part of Chris Froome's power data as they seek to end doping suspicions surrounding the Tour de France leader.

Froome attracted negative headlines when he destroyed his rivals in the first mountain stage of the Tour last Tuesday and the Briton then said he had urine thrown at him by an abusive spectator on Saturday as the vitriol spread to the crowds.

Froome faced similar accusations on his way to winning the 2013 Tour and Team Sky responded at the time by offering the 30-year-old’s power data to anti-doping authorities.

Now, Team Sky principal Sir Dave Brailsford is willing to once again release Froome’s numbers in a renewed bid to prove he is riding clean.

Speaking after Monday’s 16th stage, Brailsford said: "We faced the same questions last time around. We had agreed to give our power data to UK Anti-Doping and the CADF [Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation].

"The CADF didn't want it, UK Anti-Doping had it but I don't think they did anything with it, but we were willing to give it to an independent body and we could do the same again.

"And I think we will have a look at it tonight and, for the rest day [on Tuesday], we will just release an average cadence, average power."

Froome leads Colombian Nairo Quintana by 3min 10sec, with American Tejay van Garderen a further 22 seconds off the pace in third place.

Asked if he minded Team Sky sharing his data, Froome said: "It's the intellectual property of the team and if they are happy to give it out, of course, I support that. No problem."

However, he questioned why he was under tighter scrutiny than previous grand tour winners.

Froome added: "If you look at the last five grand tours that have been won by different teams, different riders, there has not been the same outcry for power data and numbers.".

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