Brailsford appeals to UCI to prove Froome is clean

Sir Dave Brailsford wants cycling's world governing body to intervene in an effort to prove Tour de France leader Chris Froome is competing as a clean athlete.

Froome has been subjected to innuendo and interrogations over his performances since his dominant display on stage 10 to La Pierre-Saint-Martin last Tuesday.

Team Sky principal Brailsford was a guest on France 2's post-race coverage when the Tour's host broadcaster showed an expert poring over footage of Froome's win in the first stage in the Pyrenees.

Pierre Sallet, a doctor of physiology, calculated the 2013 Tour champion's power in watts per kilogram of 7.04, which he claimed is an "abnormally high profile".

Brailsford attacked the "mathematical model" as "only an estimation" and says it is not possible to prove his riders are drug free.

Brailsford understands the levels of scepticism due to cycling's long history of drug-driven performances and called for the UCI to act by embedding anti-doping officials into Tour teams to ensure there is no improper behaviour.

"It is not possible to prove a negative. I can't. But I can work with the UCI, independent experts," said Brailsford on France 2.

"I understand people asking 'do we believe in Chris Froome?'.

"How can we find a test where we say 'we are clean'? We have responsibility to be transparent.

"I would like the UCI to invest in individuals and put them into each team 24/7. That would prove we do nothing. I'm ready to do it."