Chris Froome hits back at doping allegations

The Team Sky rider, whose impressive ride up La Pierre St Martin in the first mountain stage raised suspicions just like his 2013 ride up the gruelling Mont Ventoux, even had urine thrown at him by a spectator during Saturday's 14th stage.

There were no incidents on Sunday, Froome even speaking of a "fantastic atmosphere" on the road of the 183-km ride from Mende to Valence.

At his post-stage news conference, however, Froome was quizzed on the incident again and doping-related questions were asked.

A reporter said: "Chris, you have been saying that you're the first, you're in the yellow jersey because you've worked extremely hard for that... We know this but what is troublesome is that all those who preceded you were saying the same... Lance Armstrong would keep telling us that he was the first because he was working more than the others. Can you understand that the wording and the explanation that you give revive bad memories?"

Froome replied: "Times have changed, everyone knows that, times have changed, this isn't the wild West that it was 10-15 years ago.

"Of course there are always going to be riders who take risks in this day and age but they are the minority. It was all the other way around 10-15 years ago, there is no reason for that suspicion to continue."

The 30-year-old added that most of the comments questioning his performances were coming from "ex-riders who were part of this generation and only knew one way of cycling."

Asked if the suspicious atmosphere surrounding him and his team would sour a likely victory in Paris two years after his maiden title, Froome said he would fully appreciate the triumph.

"It is not going to sour the yellow jersey if I make it to Paris in the yellow jersey this is something that myself and my team have worked extremely hard for," he said.