Chris Froome apologises for 'lashing out' at spectator during Tour de France

'I was worried about how close he was,' says Froome

Chris Froome celebrates his stage eight victory to claim the leader's yellow jersey (AP)

Chris Froome has apologised for “lashing out” at a spectator during the Tour de France.

The Team Sky rider and Olympic bronze medallist was filmed apparently pushing a man wearing the Colombia football shirt and yellow wig out of the way as he edged closer towards securing his stage eight Tour de France victory.

“I have absolutely nothing against the Colombian fans, I think they’re fantastic,” Froome told The Telegraph after the race. “They bring great spirit to it. But this guy in particular was running right next to my handlebars. He had a flag that was flying out behind him and it was just getting dangerous so I pushed him away. I lashed out and pushed him away.”

Froome has since apologised on Twitter.

"Apologies to the fan I pushed today - I was worried about how close you were, and the danger for you if you fell,” he wrote in Spanish.