Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

news

Chris Froome says he is confident of winning doping case

Team Sky star speaks ahead of Giro d'Italia, which starts in Jerusalem tomorrow...

Chris Froome has said that he believes he will win the anti-doping case triggered by an adverse analytical finding for twice the permitted amount of the anti-asthma drug salbutamol during last year’s Vuelta, which he won.

The Team Sky rider was speaking to BBC Sport ahead of the 101st edition of the Giro d’Italia, which starts in Jerusalem tomorrow.

The four-time Tour de France champion is targeting victory in the Italian race, which would see him achieve the rare distinction of holding all three Grand Tour titles at the same time.

After news of the adverse analytical finding broke in December, Froome said he would fight to clear his name, and asked if he believed to be exonerated, he said, "Yes. I certainly expect to be."

Several riders as well as UCI President David Lappartient and race organisers have expressed misgivings about Froome continuing to race while the process is ongoing, but the 32-year-old said: "Everyone's entitled to an opinion.

“I can understand lots of people are frustrated at the lack of information, but this is a process that was meant to be confidential.

"It has been a challenging last few months but I like to think I've dealt with it very well. I certainly haven't had any sleepless nights,” he continued.

"I'm confident that people will see it from my point of view when all the details are out there."

The Giro d’Italia starts tomorrow with an individual time trial in Jerusalem followed by two road stages in Israel.

Monday’s first rest day will see the peloton head to Sicily, where the race will resume on Tuesday.

The winner will be crowned in Rome on Sunday 27 May.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

Add new comment

12 comments

Avatar
peted76 | 5 years ago
0 likes
Avatar
peted76 | 5 years ago
2 likes

I would like to think that there is a credible defence being made and that's why it's taking sooooo very long to sort this out. However for all we know it's just being tied up in knots to make it harder to untangle. I'm sure everyone will be relieved once this is over, either way. 

I admire Chris Froome, he is one of the best bike racers in recent years, he has done things differently to the norm and has visibly improved year on year since 2014, I thought his 2016 breakaway with Sagan was one of the most exciting moments in a grand tour I've seen.

I don't believe that he or sky would have crossed the red line of rules 'on purpose'. But I do believe that they would/have 'gamed the system' to the limits wherever possible. And I personally am okay with gaming the system.

In which it means it's the system which needs to be changed. The focus of vitrol should be directed at the UCI rules in my opinion. Why do they let a 1000mg salbutamol piss test? Why not 500mg, or zero or indeed why have a salbutamol piss test at all? Should there be another test? The infringement is morally about the amount of salbutamol he's put into his body in a given time, not what comes out, so why don't the tests monitor what is going into a sportsperson's body instead, they have the technology for that. 

I have a sideline insight into what happens every weekend in high stakes($$) motorsport and the rule infringements which happen by every team, and which, when caught are sanctioned by officials, these are so common and would be considered 'morally wrong' by most cycling commentors, by playing up to the rules and beyond, but due to sponsor pressures and the amount of rules which could be 'accidentally' infringed, it's considered normal to game the system, expected almost. I can't speak for althletics or tennis or those abnormal giants who play rugby, but I'd be surprised if gaming the rules isn't considered usual (or steriods!).

I still believe that this, and the Wiggins press coverage is all part of a larger stitch up by someone, probably at the UCI with their own nefarious agenda (in my head they have a lair, a long haired cat and a freaking great lazer).

 

Avatar
DrJDog replied to peted76 | 5 years ago
0 likes

peted76 wrote:

In which it means it's the system which needs to be changed. The focus of vitrol should be directed at the UCI rules in my opinion. Why do they let a 1000mg salbutamol piss test? Why not 500mg, or zero or indeed why have a salbutamol piss test at all? Should there be another test? The infringement is morally about the amount of salbutamol he's put into his body in a given time, not what comes out, so why don't the tests monitor what is going into a sportsperson's body instead, they have the technology for that. 

 

They don't have the technology for that. How the hell do you even imagine they have the technology for that?

Avatar
Derk Davies | 5 years ago
0 likes

So every other similar case seems to have resulted in a ban but CF is confident this one wont? I really wonder how being twice the limit. Or is it just down to money and status?

My persnal opinion, no athsma meds, no TUE's. If your not fit to race without them you are no elite athlete. Also minimum 5 year bans for any positive drug tests. When you sign up to race you sign up to race clean not cheat or abuse loopholes.

Avatar
Glov Zaroff | 5 years ago
0 likes

You've got to love the Ventolin blue they chose for the kit.

Avatar
dassie | 5 years ago
0 likes

A big battle of the lawyers still in progress?

Avatar
Gkam84 | 5 years ago
0 likes

Of course, he's confident. Sky will do the same as they did with Wiggins "jiffy bag". When I have on good authority contained nothing but a large wedge of cash to cover up a failed test. By good authority, I got it straight from someone who was there when it left the UK.

Avatar
maviczap replied to Gkam84 | 5 years ago
3 likes

Gkam84 wrote:

Of course, he's confident. Sky will do the same as they did with Wiggins "jiffy bag". When I have on good authority contained nothing but a large wedge of cash to cover up a failed test. By good authority, I got it straight from someone who was there when it left the UK.

That's fantastic news, a breakthrough in what's in the "jiffybag" investigationim sure Daimia Collins and Dan Down will only be too pleased to interview you.

Avatar
Gkam84 replied to maviczap | 5 years ago
0 likes

maviczap wrote:

Gkam84 wrote:

Of course, he's confident. Sky will do the same as they did with Wiggins "jiffy bag". When I have on good authority contained nothing but a large wedge of cash to cover up a failed test. By good authority, I got it straight from someone who was there when it left the UK.

That's fantastic news, a breakthrough in what's in the "jiffybag" investigationim sure Daimia Collins and Dan Down will only be too pleased to interview you.

The person who told me this was interviewed as part of the investigation and told them what he knew. Of course, BC and Sky couldn't admit to that being the case though, nor could the UCI....So that's why they chose medication, little did they think the whole investigation would blow up. BC medical facility would get audited....etc

Avatar
don simon fbpe | 5 years ago
1 like

Chris who?

Avatar
mike the bike | 5 years ago
0 likes

 

There's more going on here than meets my jaundiced eye and I speak as a big fan of Chris Froome.  

He is not thick and neither are his management and advisers at Sky.  Any sensible person would have put their hand up last September, taken the six-month ban and come out fresh and fighting this spring.

Why haven't they followed this route?  Could it be the result of the case is already decided and he will be cleared "in the best interests of the sport."? 

Either way I expect it will all be forgotten this time next year.

Avatar
DrJDog replied to mike the bike | 5 years ago
0 likes

mike the bike wrote:

Either way I expect it will all be forgotten this time next year.

 

Lol!

Latest Comments