'Shame on you': Chris Froome finds team not welcome in Yorkshire

Cycling team Ineos face vocal anti-fracking protesters at start of Tour de Yorkshire

Across the Channel, the riders of Team Sky had become used to abuse - they were spat on, lashed out at and even forced to dodge the odd bottle of urine. After winning six out of the last seven editions of the Tour de France amid a series of (never proven) doping allegations, they won over few French fans.

But on home turf, Team Sky were usually guaranteed a warm reception - particularly at the Tour de Yorkshire, the brutal four-day stage race that grew out of 2014's wildly successful Yorkshire Grand Di(C)part.