GAP, France — Chris Froome preserved his healthy overall lead after a nervous finish to Tuesday's 16th stage, and then blamed his main Tour de France rival Alberto Contador for a downhill incident that could have ended their races.
Portuguese rider Rui Costa won the stage with a solo breakaway, while behind him the subplot between Contador and Froome thickened with a few days left until the finish line in Paris.
Although Froome is still more than four minutes clear of Contador, the British rider felt he could just as easily have ended up in hospital.
"One little accident and it could be the end of your Tour," Froome said. "In my opinion it was a bit dangerous from Alberto to ride like that, it's not good."
On the final descent down from the Col de Manse, Froome and Contador were undone by a sharp right turn as the Brit chased after the Spaniard.
Froome went off the left side of the road and had to plant his left foot on the ground to stop from toppling off completely. Contador also lost balance and hit his knee on the ground before quickly jumping back up on the bike.
"It actually put me in danger because I had to go off the road to avoid him," Froome said. "He couldn't control his own speed and crashed."
Contador, the 2007 and '09 champion stripped of his '10 title for doping, defended himself.