In depth: Whatever is said about Chris Froome, you can’t doubt his dignity

You have to give him credit. Froome has brilliantly managed everything that has been thrown - or spat - at him. From cups of urine to brushing off disgusting spectators, the Briton has overcome every pitfall en route to a stunning second victory in the Tour de France.

Just think about that for a minute. A cup of urine. Can you imagine how competitors in any other sport would respond to such provocation? A Cantona kung-fu kick? A McEnroe rant, perhaps?

Of course Froome had little choice but to ride on, or he would lose precious seconds in his pursuit of glory. And yet, even afterwards, he has handled himself with absolute dignity. "The yellow jersey is very special. I will always respect it and never dishonour it,” he said after his second win.

Unfortunately for the 30-year-old, it is him who has been savagely disrespected. Rogue fans and rent-a-gobs have got in line to derail his bid, all convinced that he is doping.

But the quietly spoken Briton just goes about his business, unruffled and focused, even overcoming bits of loose asphalt, spectators covered in white sheets and McDonald’s bags caught in his wheel.

He calmly denounced those who have it in for him and is even aware that it is simply a nasty “minority” of fans. His ultimate response was also emphatic: “I’ll ride harder”.

Team Sky released some of his power data to counter claims in the media that he is cheating. What more can they do? In reality, not a lot. In submitting themselves to every drugs test and being open about the information they collect, Team Sky and Froome have made every effort to displace the cloud that hangs over cycling following Lance Armstrong’s doping controversy.

And while this is all going on, Froome remains humble in victory. "I want to thank my team-mates, without you I would not be standing here," he added.

"I give you my utmost respect and gratitude. This is your yellow jersey as much as it is mine. "

Of course, there will be those cynics that say this is simply good PR. Armstrong, famously, always said he had never failed a drugs test.

But you can’t fake Froome’s emotion on the Champs-Elysee when the national anthem was played. You also can’t invent something that is not there to prove a point. Sadly, if someone achieves success in modern cycling, the default stance for many is that they must be a cheat.

"You can't prove him negative,” said Team Sky boss Dave Brailsford. “But there is a weight of evidence to show that we are doing it the right way, we are a clean team and Chris Froome is just a fantastic champion."

Froome has, at the very least, shown a remarkable composure in the face of some filthy behaviour and seems to be the antithesis of some of the ranting, egotistical sports stars of the modern age. And, until there is indisputable evidence to the contrary, we have to appreciate the history he has made. Otherwise a great cycling hero could ride off into retirement and it will be too late.