Four-time champion Chris Froome was among riders whose eyes needed treatment for tear gas when a farmers' protest interrupted the 16th stage of the Tour de France on Tuesday.

Bales of hay blocked the road 30 kilometres (18 miles) into the 218-kilometre (135-mile) leg from Carcassonne to Bagneres De-Luchon.

Tour organisers said police used tear gas to disperse the protesters as the peloton approached.

Froome, race leader Geraint Thomas, and world champion Peter Sagan appeared to be among those affected by the chemical, and were treated with eye drops.

The stage resumed after a 15-minute delay.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Carcassonne - 24 July 2018

1. Various of STILLs showing riders waiting on the road after a farmer protest interrupted 16th stage of the Tour de France

2. Various of STILLs showing protester facing police

3. STILL showing farmer with banner, reading (French) "Keep the agriculture in la Piege et du Razes (region) safe"

Team Ineos rider Geraint Thomas said on Monday's rest day that he is "itching to go" ahead of the final week of racing at the 2019 Tour de France.

Second-placed Thomas gained 27 seconds on yellow jersey holder Julian Alaphilippe on Sunday's stage 15, as a late attack saw him distance the Frenchman towards the Prat d'Albis summit finish.

Three big mountain days are still left to race before the Tour's traditional conclusion in Paris, and Thomas will be intent on making further inroads into Alaphilippe's lead, which stands at one minute and 35 seconds.

On Saturday, the Welshman had lost crucial time on the Col du Tourmalet, but his response on Sunday kept him in contention as he bids to retain the Tour de France title.

Tuesday's 177 kilometre relatively flat stage 16 in Nimes is likely to see a bunch sprint finish.

Nimes, France. 22nd July 2019.

1. 00:00 Various of Geraint Thomas entering news conference

2. 00:15 Geraint Thomas (left), Team Ineos general manager Dave Brailsford (centre) and Egan Bernal (right) in news conference

3. 00:23 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, Team Ineos rider:

(About taking time out of Julian Alaphilippe's lead on Sunday and looking ahead to the Alps)

"We stick together. I think obviously yesterday (Sunday), I said on the radio that I didn't feel great coming into the last climb. As it turns out, I did feel great at the top. But, yeah, I think the main thing is, going into the Alps now, I feel motivated to get there and really try and finish this Tour off well. It has been slightly up and down here, for sure, and race compared to last year. But the main thing for me is that I finished strongly yesterday (Sunday), and I am really just itching to go now. I much prefer the Alps - I have got a lot better memories from there for obvious reasons. Yeah, I'm just looking forward to it."

4. 01:16 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, Team Ineos rider:

(About managing his effort to remain in contention overall and the soaring temperatures in France this week)

"Yeah, yesterday (Sunday), like I say, I finished really strongly so, yeah, it's not an issue. If that is my bad day, to lose 30 seconds on the Tourmalet, is quite a good day really. And like Dave (Brailsford) said, you win a Grand Tour by being good all the way through, and managing your effort all the way through, not going into that deep, deep red zone often - save that for the final day or two. So I feel like I have managed that effort really well so far and I'm feeling good for it. Yeah I'm looking forward to the Alps now and, altitude-wise like in training in Tenerife, a drop off of watts is never really as much as most people so I'm relishing that opportunity and the heat, it is the same for everyone. I have ridden in that heat Down Under (Australia) numerous times over the years and got used it, so it is no problem."

5. 02:23 SOUNDBITE (English): Geraint Thomas, Team Ineos rider:

(About Team Ineos' performances in this year's Tour de France)

"Egan (Bernal) is fifth and I am second. I think we are still doing pretty well. Ok, yeah, we are not in the yellow and we are not riding on the front all day everyday. But like Dave (Brailsford) said, there is more than one way to win the Tour and this situation is completely different, and we don't have to pull when there are other teams that want to do it as well. So I think we are still in a super strong position the boys as well... Dylan (van Barrle) for instance, has been incredible, the way he has been going this year. I think he has been one of the standout guys in our team. I think everyone has ups and downs and I think it is how you deal with that. But, yeah, I am confident that we are all in great shape and a great position, and looking forward to some big Alpine climbs."

6. 03:22 SOUNDBITE (Spanish): Egan Bernal, Team Ineos rider:

(About Nairo Quintana telling his team he was having some difficulties during the Col du Tourmalet, but Alejandro Valverde said that he did not mention anything)

"I think it is easier when you have good communication with the rest of the team. That has happened before, and he (Nairo Quintana) has always has been very honest. As a fellow Colombian, he told me that he was not in the best condition. I have been ahead of Nairo in the race. I think it is good for the race and for the teams (to have that competition and communication between riders). In my case, if I am ahead (in the race) maybe other riders could have some doubts, because a rider from Ineos is ahead and they do not want to help me out. I think there is a lot of strategy around, but again, the leader in our team is Geraint (Thomas) and we will give our all for him."

One of the most open editions of the Tour de France in decades will resume on Tuesday with only 39 seconds separating five riders between second and sixth, all of them breathing down the necks of what appears to be a fading Julian Alaphilippe.

With so much focus on defending champion Geraint Thomas' time losses and the emerging French challenge, Steven Kruijswijk has managed to fly a little under the radar despite sitting just 12 seconds behind the Welshman.

Jumbo-Visma, despite losing Wout Van Aert to a crash and splitting their priorities between Kruijswijk and sprinter Dylan Groenewegen, have looked the strongest team in the mountains and Kruijswijk has been impressive if not explosive.

The 32-year-old Dutchman has finished fourth in the Giro and the Vuelta before amid a series of good results, but has never managed a Grand Tour podium.

Sommieres, France. 22nd July 2019

1. 00:00 Steven Kruijswijk at news conference

2. 00:07 Cutaway of Kruijswijk

3. 00:17 SOUNDBITE (English) Steven Kruijswijk, Jumbo-Visma

"All of them are quite hard and give a lot of opportunities but I have to say the further you come into the race, the fatigue will play a more important role. Especially the last day, it's a really hard stage the last Saturday and the final climb is 31 kilometres long and it's a horrible climb and I think if you look in the morning at the General Classification it's still not decided Saturday morning and we will see a great race on Saturday in the afternoon."

4. 01:00 SOUNDBITE (English) Steven Kruijswijk, Jumbo-Visma

"The last three stages we went for 10 days there (and) we stayed in Tignes and that final climb I did like seven or eight times I think. So that won't have any surprise for me. The other stages we saw one time but that's enough for me. Especially at this stage which finishes in Tigne and you go 2700 metres of altitude and that's going to be a really hard stage. It's a long uphill climb, fast descent and then again a hard finish. Hopefully (it'll be) my day."

5. 02:01 Cutaway of Kruijswijk

6. 02:10 SOUNDBITE (Dutch) Steven Kruijswijk, Jumbo-Visma

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7. 02:51 SOUNDBITE (Dutch) Steven Kruijswijk, Jumbo-Visma

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