Contador booed by crowd

Les Herbiers - Three-times Tour de France champion Alberto Contador put on a brave face as he was booed and jeered by the public at the team presentation on Thursday.

The crowd, packed into a replica Roman circus in the Puy du Fou theme park, cheered and applauded all the other 188 riders who will start the Tour on Saturday but expressed their displeasure at the name of the defending champion.

Contador, who failed a dope test for banned drug clenbuterol in last year's Tour before being cleared by his federation, is taking part in the race pending a final decision on the case by the Court of Arbitration in Sport.

The Spaniard ignored the uproar to answer questions on the podium.

A recent survey by radio Alouette FM showed that 63 percent of French people polled were against Contador's participation in the Tour.

Apart from local riders, Luxembourg's Andy Shleck, runner-up to Contador in 2009 and last year, earned the loudest cheers, an indication that the French public will take sides with him in the three weeks ahead.