The president of cycling's world governing body has called for spectators to respect Chris Froome and says it will be "clearly unacceptable" for the defending champion to be attacked during the Tour de France.

Froome was on Monday cleared of any wrongdoing in International Cycling Union (UCI) anti-doping proceedings after exceeding the limit for use of asthma medication salbutamol during his victorious Vuelta a Espana campaign last year.

The UCI ruled that the Team Sky rider's sample results did not constitute an adverse analytical finding after requesting information from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Some cycling fans have made no secret of their disapproval over the decision to clear Froome five days before he goes in search of a fifth Tour de France title, but UCI boss David Lappartient says they must not cross the line.

He said: "I would like to tell them [cycling fans] that they can trust the UCI. We will do what we have to do to clean this sport, but they also have to respect this decision.

"This decision is based on the World Anti-Doping Agency statement and we have to respect their decision too. When you have the right to defend yourself it is not to be always guilty if the explanation is correct and the experts say to WADA that this explanation is acceptable we have to follow this decision.

"They have to respect the decision to close the case and they have to accept all the riders and among all of them, Christopher Froome, because I was really upset to see fans on Twitter and social media calling for violence during the Tour de France.

"This is clearly unacceptable and I my mission as president of the UCI is to protect all the riders and Chris Froome has no more right than the other riders, but he has no less right than them.

"We must respect all of them and I am sure that we will have a wonderful Tour de France."