The Tour de France was briefly halted after cyclists were hit with pepper spray as police broke up a protest.

Several riders received treatment after getting the substance in their eyes during stage 16 of the race.

The protest by French farmers saw hay bales thrown across the road shortly before the leading group passed.

Image: A woman is led away by officers as the Tour de France cyclists pass by

Image: Police officers carry a protester off the road

A policeman appeared to use pepper spray on the demonstrators, which then blew into the faces of some of the riders.

Four-time champion Chris Froome and race leader Geraint Thomas were among those who seemed to have been hit.


Several of the cyclists had eye drops applied before the race was restarted around 15 minutes after the incident.

Image: Riders clean their eyes after tear gas was used during a farmers' protest

Image: The pack of riders waits for the stage to resume, after tear gas was used during a farmers' protest

It happened about 18 miles (30km) into the 135-mile (218km) leg from Carcassonne to Bagneres De-Luchon.

The farmers were protesting against a cut in state aid.

This year's Tour de France has been marked by a series of incidents on the sidelines of the race including abuse directed at Froome.

The Team Sky rider has reportedly been spat at during the race, while his teammate Thomas has been booed off the podium.

Image: A protester holds a placard reading 'For the Piege region to live' during a farmers' protest

The Tour will finish in Paris on Sunday, where Froome is bidding to make history by winning it for the fifth time and double Olympic champion Thomas is attempting to win it for the very first time.

Speaking ahead of this week's race stages, Froome told Sky News that he and Thomas were in the "dream scenario" in first and second positions respectively.

"If a Team Sky jersey crosses that finishing line in Paris on Sunday and it's one of us on the podium winning the Tour, as far as we are concerned, that's job done," he said.

"For anyone to beat Team Sky this week they will have to beat Geraint and they will have to beat me and they will have to do it at the pointy end of the Tour."