Tour de France chief Christian Prudhomme lashed out at farmers who blocked stage 16 on Tuesday and forced several riders, including Britain’s yellow jersey holder Geraint Thomas, to receive treatment for tear gas, reports Velo News.
Farmers protesting about the loss of rights for agricultural land in the Aude region blocked the road with bales of hay and around 50 sheep some 26 kilometers (16 miles) into the day’s ride from Carcassonne to Bagnères-de-Luchon in the Pyrenees.
In their efforts to clear the protestors, officers from France’s national gendarmerie used tear gas, which was blown into the faces of dozens of riders as they approached.
Although the race resumed following a 15-minute interruption, Prudhomme was furious at the finish.
“A cyclist’s job is dangerous as it is,” said Prudhomme.
“We shouldn’t be adding extra dangers to their job. They take enough risks already. I insist. We have to let them pass unhindered.”
Officials from the Aude Prefecture announced an investigation had been opened into the protest.
“In the face of the hostility from protestors who refused to clear the road, officers were obliged to push back the protestors in order to clear obstacles from the road,” said a statement from the Aude Prefecture.
“The race organizer took the decision to neutralize the race for around 15 minutes after the peloton was affected by the tear gas that was still in the air as they passed through.”
Race leader Thomas, of Team Sky, was one of several riders forced to clean his eyes and throat with water, although the Welshman said he was “okay in the end.”
“Obviously it was unfortunate that whatever they used was still in the air when we came through,” said Thomas, who maintained his 1:39 lead over teammate and four-time champion Chris Froome ahead of Wednesday’s stage 17.