Chris Froome: Tour de France winner won't 'dishonour' jersey

Chris Froome says he will "never dishonour" the yellow jersey after becoming the first Briton to win two Tour de France titles.

Froome faced abuse from spectators and accusations of doping throughout the 21-stage race, which ended on Sunday.

One French physiologist described his performance as "abnormal".

But the 30-year-old Team Sky rider insisted: "The yellow jersey is very special. I will always respect it and never dishonour it."

Froome beat Colombia's Nairo Quintana to the title by 72 seconds.

It ended up being the narrowest winning margin since Carlos Sastre beat Cadel Evans by 58 seconds in 2008.

Kenyan-born Froome also became the first rider since the legendary Eddy Merckx in 1970 to win both the overall race and mountain classification in the same year.

Doping, spitting and urine

Froome won the race in 2013 but his performances during the 2015 event were constantly questioned on French TV.

One French physiologist also presented data that indicated to him that Froome's displays were "abnormal".

Team Sky produced their own numbers to counter that claim, while Froome has repeatedly said that he is clean.

Froome was also subjected to abuse from spectators, claiming he had urine thrown at him on stage 14,

He also appeared to have twice been spat at in the last two stages before Sunday's finale in Paris.

Emerging from all the controversy, he dedicated his victory to his team and wife, Michelle.

"I want to thank my team-mates, without you I would not be standing here," he said.

"I give you my utmost respect and gratitude. This is your yellow jersey as much as it is mine. "

UCI president Brian Cookson told BBC Sport that Froome deserved more respect.

"The behaviour of a few individuals on the roadside has been very regrettable and it is frankly despicable to have to have faced that," he said.

"Athletes deserve respect when they are going about their business, whatever country, whatever nation, whatever you, as an individual, think about them."

'No Loch Ness Monster here'

After the final stage, Team Sky boss Sir Dave Brailsford mounted a stern defence of Froome.

He said that the sceptics looking for evidence of doping at Team Sky might as well be by the banks of Loch Ness looking for a fictional beast.

"It has been disrespectful, to come under the criticism and for people to say the things they have said about him with no foundation," he said.

"They should go and spend their time sitting at the side of Loch Ness and waiting for a monster. It's the same thing.

"We have still got people camping outside with binoculars saying: 'I'm sure we are going to see the monster tomorrow'. But it never appears.

"You can't prove him negative, but there is a weight of evidence to show that we are doing it the right way, we are a clean team and Chris Froome is just a fantastic champion."

Froome dedicated the win to his team-mates and wife