Race leader Chris Froome calls for common sense with wild weather set to lash Tour de France field

CHRIS Froome calls for the descent off Alpe d'Huez to be neutralised amid predictions of wild weather in Thursday night's stage.

Alps weather

CHRIS Froome has called for the descent off Alpe d'Huez to be neutralised amid predictions of horrendous weather in Thursday night's queen stage of the Tour de France.

Tour forecasts have alarmed riders with predicted "frequent violent storms", heavy rain and plummeting temperatures set to lash the field.

Tour officials are bracing themselves for chaos with fog and 11-degree temperatures on Alpe d'Huez forecast to follow a 25-degree start on the valley floor in Gap.

Froome has called for common sense, especially if there is another storm to match Wednesday's downpour, which followed the time trial from Embrum to Chorges.

"I think it would be sad not to do the whole parcours and the two climbs of Alpe-d'Huez, especially because it's the 100th edition of the Tour," Froome said.

"But at the same time, safety comes first and if it's raining as heavily as this tomorrow, then I hope the organisers neutralise it.

"At the end of the day, all of the riders will have the same conditions but it is a very dangerous descent and the surface is appalling."

Several riders have already complained about the dodgy road off Col de Sarenne.

Thursday night's stage will feature two ascents of the mighty Alpe d'Huez - and its 21 hairpins.