Luke Rowe 'light-heartedly' tears down spectator's anti-Team Sky banner before Tour de France start in Lorient
Rowe: "We’ll see how we go, but that's my one banner done for the Tour now"
![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GPwVqLvrd4wLRRiHpKM5DB-415-80.jpg)
Luke Rowe at the 2018 Tour de France (Sunada)
Luke Rowe claims that he light-heartedly tore down an anti-Team Sky banner at the start of stage five of the Tour de France, despite reports suggesting it was something more malicious.
"There was a guy outside the bus who had a banner saying Sky go home, when I came out the bus he was there shaking it around and was stood next to two kids wearing Sky t-shirts. He was laughing, I was laughing and I grabbed it," Rowe said.
"It was tongue in cheek and after I went over and gave his kids two bottles and was a bit of light-hearted fun, I don’t think it was a fan who genuinely disliked us. It seemed like quite a light-hearted guy, and it was no big deal."
>>> Peter Sagan untouchable as he powers to victory on Tour de France 2018 stage five
A report on Velonews, which interviewed the fan, suggested that the incident was not quite as light-hearted as Rowe implied, but when asked outside the Team Sky bus after Peter Sagan's stage five victory in Quimper, Rowe said he didn't believe he would repeat the act.
"No we’ll see how we go, but I think that’s my one banner done for the Tour now." he said.
Team Sky have had a hostile start to the Tour de France so far, with some fans booing Chris Froome, but Rowe believes the reactions are getting better.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"The presentation at the first stage wasn’t the best, but ever since then its been really good actually and day on day its getting better," Rowe said.
"Its actually quite surprising and 99.9 per cent are great fans its just that last percentage that will react the opposite way. But we are here to do a job so we just forget about it."
>>> Egan Bernal eager to learn from Froome and Thomas in Tour de France debut
Dave Brailsford also spoke about his responsibility for the Team Sky riders and staff, to protect them "physically and psychologically,"
"I’m very mindful and taking responsibility to make sure they are protected both physically and psychologically," Brailsford said.
"So I feel very responsible for Egan [Bernal] for example he is young, come here for the first time and here he is and he is like what's going on here. I think it’s a shame that he has to experience that, and sad actually."
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Paul Knott is a fitness and features writer, who has also presented Cycling Weekly videos as well as contributing to the print magazine as well as online articles. In 2020 he published his first book, The Official Tour de France Road Cycling Training Guide (Welbeck), a guide designed to help readers improve their cycling performance via cherrypicking from the strategies adopted by the pros.
-
Tadej Pogačar broke 288 Strava KOMs during Tour de France victory
Slovenian won his third Tour title in Nice last weekend, and picked up a host of new trophies on Strava
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'I'm definitely pushing over 2,500 watts' - Meet the most powerful cyclists in the GB Olympics squad
Move over track sprinters, there are stronger legs in town
By Tom Davidson Published
-
It's time to stop expecting so much of Ineos Grenadiers at the Tour de France
The British team are always under pressure to match their past best, but it’s not going to happen anytime soon
By Adam Becket Published
-
Tom Pidcock says Ineos Grenadiers will be 'better' at the Tour de France without Steve Cummings
Netflix series depicted tension between the DS and rider, dynamic sources told Cycling Weekly carries a degree of accuracy
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tom Pidcock 'dreaming' of taking yellow jersey on opening weekend of Tour de France
British rider hopes to play starring role in Italian Grand Départ
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'I think I'll get the opportunity to go for a stage' - Geraint Thomas relishing support role at Tour de France
Former yellow jersey winner says this year's race "could be my last"
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Carlos Rodríguez to lead Ineos Grenadiers at Tour de France, supported by Geraint Thomas and Tom Pidcock
British squad will aim to "race aggressively and disrupt" at the French Grand Tour
By Adam Becket Published
-
21 things you didn't know about Tom Pidcock
According to the man himself, he's never had a hangover. It's alright for some.
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tom Pidcock adds extra mountain bike race to schedule, one week before Tour de France
Pidcock confirms he will race World Cup event in Crans Montana, Switzerland ahead of Olympic title defence
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
5 things we learned from the first week of the 2024 Giro d’Italia
The Italian Grand Tour is firmly underway and Tadej Pogačar is in the pink jersey. Here are our takeaways from the first week of action
By Tom Thewlis Published