Chris Froome now been caught?

strtdv

The performance enhancing potential of salbutamol is tenuous at best. At very high doses it's reckoned to provide a slight advantage in a short sprint but at the cost of being incredibly jittery (and probably losing control of your heartrate)

roundthebend

On a lighter note, I wonder if the commuter I passed this morning had OD'd on Salbutamol? He was twitching his head erratically, turning his whole body backwards at times, causing him to weave across the cycle lane. Then he started shouting "Cretins" repeatedly at drivers and pedestrians (and nobody in particular).

I would think that a drug to open the airway might also cause changes elsewhere in the body. Whether that is performance enhancing or not I wouldn't know, but I trust the authorities to make those decisions about which drugs to control the use of.

My feeling is that Froome's use of it is deliberately designed to push the limits of what is allowed. I suspect most, if not all, are doing similar things. He's still a terrific athlete. I'd just like to see a bit more openness about the whole thing. We shouldn't be hearing about this extra dose he took after his urine sample shows a funny reading.

menamestom

When I've had a bad period of asthma, having lots of salbutamol can relieve the symptoms but it makes you feel like shit.  There's no way I would see it as a benefit, although perhaps it would be in elite athletes.

PC_Dave

menamestom said:

When I've had a bad period of asthma, having lots of salbutamol can relieve the symptoms but it makes you feel like shit.  There's no way I would see it as a benefit, although perhaps it would be in elite athletes.

^^This^^

Neill

strtdv said:

The performance enhancing potential of salbutamol is tenuous at best. At very high doses it's reckoned to provide a slight advantage in a short sprint but at the cost of being incredibly jittery (and probably losing control of your heartrate)

It is highly debatable, and you have to ask the question now that you don't require a TUE to use it, why isn't every one of the pro peloton taking it?

OTOH when I was racing I well remember one guy actually rode with an inhaler strapped under his saddle - and he was a heck of a sprinter...  

Boromedic

This article covered the medical side of things pretty well, and also explains why only being 2% dehydrated by body weight can increase the amount excreted in urine. Exactly the case we seem to have here:

http://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling/42350159?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_sport&ns_source=facebook&ns_linkname=sport

However it also raises some interesting points regarding why that one sample was so high in comparison to the other days he was riding and also using Salbutamol, a big percentage higher at that. There are zero performance benefits to it and it is just to enable him to perform without his asthma inhibiting him. My worry is what has already been posted before, its being used to potentially mask something else he has taken. I think he will serve a ban tbh, but we shall see.

duotone

https://www.facebook.com/tonymartin.procyclist/posts/1751736028234766

Tony Martin not happy at all about it.

Teetonetal

cleared.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling/44679483

crunchman

Full statement from the UCI:

http://www.uci.ch/pressreleases/uci-statement-anti-doping-proceedings-involving-christopher-froome/

Tour Starts on Saturday.  Looking forward to it.

TheBigDipper

I'm pleased, but now watch the conspiracy theorists get started and see how some drunk French spectators will behave at the roadside when he goes past them. 

It's not Froomes fault that France doesn't have the best cyclists or teams at the moment.

Boromedic

There will be a backlash for sure, so many Brits even commenting on FB cycling groups about how much of a cheat he is. He has been cleared, just back the guy ffs. 

Hattigol

Personally, I'm not convinced that you can win the Tour de France without the benefit of illegal substances. 14 out of the last 25 winners have failed tests. It's endemic in the culture of a sport in which doping used to be legal. 

I'll cry if Bradley Wiggins is eventually found out.

BigLicks67

Teetonetal said:

cleared.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cycling/44679483

Excellent news. Looking forward to Saturday now.

littlegreenman

Looks like Prudhomme's announcement that Froome wouldn't race Le Tour forced the UCI's hand to accept WADA's decision from a few days ago.

Can he win 4 Grand Tours on the trot? It's a big ask but I'll say Oui! And Sky have a great plan B with G.

poopot

Fair play to him... when I was on drugs I couldn’t even find my bike let alone ride one!

rolls1392

Looking forward to a great three weeks 

joneve

littlegreenman said:

Looks like Prudhomme's announcement that Froome wouldn't race Le Tour forced the UCI's hand to accept WADA's decision from a few days ago.

Can he win 4 Grand Tours on the trot? It's a big ask but I'll say Oui! And Sky have a great plan B with G.

I'd LOVE to see them (including Froomey) ride for G this year and have him challenge the Maillot Jaune, he really deserves it and has the engine to do it I think with Froomey as his #1 lead man.