Chris Froome has told Sunday Times,that he refused to apply for a TUE for an infection during the second part of the Tour de France. The Team Sky leader tried not to increase the suspicions against him and his team. Indeed, there was an often hostile reaction from some members of the public during the three-week race. Richie Porte was punched in the ribs by a spectator in the Pyrenees and Froome had urine thrown at him by another spectator.

"After everything we had been through in this year's Tour, especially the hostility from different people along the way, it just felt that if we go down this route, we are opening the door for a whole new wave of criticism and aggression. It would have been within the rules, but I didn't want it to be the Tour de France that was won because he took this medication in the last week," Froome told.

The Tour de France winner admitted that he was trying to avoid showing any signs of weakness. He said he resorted to holding his breath so as not to cough in front of his rivals. "I woke up all congested, blocked up, sore throat and I could feel it getting down into my chest, sort of tightening it. I was put on a short course of antibiotics but it had no effect. I was trying to hold it in, so my rivals wouldn't hear me coughing and wheezing . . . the most difficult times were on the start line where I had Quintana on one side, Contador on the other."

"I would be standing there with a burning sensation to cough or needing to get some phlegm up, but I would hold my breath to stop myself. I didn't want them to see I was battling with this. Just don't let them see anything. I couldn't wait for the neutral zone so I could get to the side of the road, blow my nose and get it all up."