Tour de France 2017: Team Sky's Dave Brailsford 'regrets' exchange with reporter

Dave Brailsford was the performance director of British Cycling before moving to Team Sky in 2010

Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford has apologised following a "foul-mouthed exchange" with a reporter during the Tour de France.

Brailsford was unhappy with a report by a cycling website reporter and excluded him from listening to Chris Froome's media conference on Monday.

But the 53-year-old says he regrets his comments and has apologised.

"I can be a bit stubborn at times," he told BBC Radio 5 live. "We're in battle mode, but I let myself down."

• Listen - Brailsford regrets row with reporter

Brailsford added: "It wasn't very clever and I wouldn't want my daughter doing that.

"I went and apologised to the person involved."

Team Sky rider Froome is set to win his fourth Tour de France title on Sunday after finishing third on the penultimate stage on Saturday.

The 32-year-old took time out of all his major yellow jersey rivals on a 22.5km individual time trial in Marseille.

He will not have his lead attacked on Sunday's processional final stage into Paris and will win the race for the third successive year.

• Relive stage 20 - Froome third in time trial

• Tour de France stage-by-stage guide

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Team Sky's reputation

Since Froome's third Tour win in 2016, there has been widespread criticism of Team Sky and their principal Brailsford.

The former performance director of British Cycling has been questioned over the contents of a medical package sent to Sir Bradley Wiggins at the Criterium du Dauphine in 2011.

Wiggins, an asthma and allergy sufferer, received special permission to use triamcinolone shortly before the 2012 Tour as well as the previous year's event and the 2013 Giro d'Italia.

His therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) were approved by British authorities, and the UCI, cycling's world governing body. There is no suggestion either the 36-year-old or Team Sky broke any rules.

British Cycling has also been subject to an independent review panel that found a "culture of fear" existed within the team.