Chris Froome and Sky respond to inhaler video
Sky's leader was filmed puffing on an asthma inhaler during stage two of the Criterium du Dauphine - Twitter storm after gif file was circulated - Partner Michelle Cound responds to #trolls
Chris Froome has used an inhaler for his asthma since he was a teenager, said Team Sky in response to a Twitter storm that brewed overnight. French TV filmed the Critérium du Dauphiné race leader puffing on an inhaler yesterday en route to winning stage two to Col du Béal in emphatic style.
The team said that Froome's medicine is approved by cycling's governing body, the UCI, and does not require a therapeutic use exemption (TUE). The inhaler Froome uses does include Salbutamol, a threshold substance which is permitted to a maximum level of 1,600 micrograms over 24 hours. One puff usually equates to 100 micrograms.
The Tour de France champion used it in yesterday's hot stage, in which he attacked several times on the final climb and defending his race leader's yellow jersey. The television camera showed him puffing on his inhaler with 19 kilometres to race. He coughed often after the stage during interviews.
"I do have exercise induced asthma." Froome said after stage three. "I don't use [the inhaler] every time I race, normally only when I have a big effort coming up. It's a bit of a surprise everyone is talking about it."
"Given sports history, people are obviously looking for a reason. There's no reason to make a big deal out. It's completely allowed by the UCI and I have done all my tests for my asthmatic problems, and it's completely allowed by the UCI. A lot of people see the interviews, I'm coughing afterwards, that's one of the reasons, the narrowing of my airways."
The image stirred up several messages on Twitter. His girlfriend Michelle Cound responded and echoed what Sky said this afternoon, that Froome used it since he was "a kid."
Cound wrote, "No TUE required, he has asthma, hence the coughing after exertion #duh #trolls"
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
At last year's Tour de France, Froome said that TUEs are "rather personal" and that he did not have any.
Many athletes have TUEs for salbutamol (the active ingredient in some inhalers) due to exercise-induced asthma (a condition that can be brought on by excessive or intense exercise). In 2008, Alessandro Petacchi was banned for over-using his asthma inhaler. Testers found excess levels of Salbutamol in his system, which Petacchi said was due to human error or too many sprays during the day.
The UCI's rules say that the requirement of a TUE depends on the drug which is used to treat asthma. You do not need an exemption for Salmeterol (up to a daily dose of 1600 micrograms) and/or Formoterol (up to a daily dose of 54 micrograms). Terbutaline requires an exception.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
-
'I don’t know where I’d be without my leg' – Paracyclist Meg Fisher to tackle Ecuador’s Highest Peak, 20,549ft Chimborazo, to help provide life-changing prosthetics for amputees
'I will never forget how people told me to keep my expectations of my abilities low...I’m doing this to see if I can do it and to show others that they can do it too,' says Fisher.
By Anne-Marije Rook Published
-
Tweets of the week: Tadej Pogačar's special nutrition isn't as pro as you think
The Giro d'Italia winner has his own Italian dish
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Trek keep the guessing game going with 'Madone/Émonda' at Critérium du Dauphiné
The bike ridden by Lidl-Trek riders at the Tour de France warm-up race features both model names
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Overachiever: Cameron Wurf competed in the Amstel Gold, La Flèche Wallonne and an Ironman, all in just eight days
Cameron Wurf is both a member of Team Ineos Grenadiers and an accomplished professional long course triathlete who has racked up numerous World Tour and Ironman race finishes across his career.
By Kristin Jenny Published
-
Bullying isn't allowed in other workplaces, professional sport should be no different
Comments about Julian Alaphilippe are just the latest in a long line of examples of bosses in sport going too far
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
‘I feel lucky to be alive’: Magnus Sheffield speaks for the first time about Gino Mäder’s fatal crash
The American describes what he saw at the Tour de Suisse, eight months after the tragedy
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Tom Pidcock: Tour of Britain route 'not really ideal for me'
Brit says he wants to win home stage race, even if the course plays in Wout van Aert's favour
By Tom Davidson Published
-
This 39-year-old INEOS Grenadiers rider moonlights as a pro triathlete
A Jack of all trades, Cameron Wurf is a domestique for INEOS Grenadiers professional cycling team, but doubles as a successful pro triathlete.
By Kristin Jenny Published
-
Ineos Grenadiers' only female rider Pauline Ferrand-Prévot eyes road return
Mountain bike legend could be back in the peloton next year
By Tom Davidson Published
-
CW Live: Chris Froome targets return to 'top level'; UCI tightens ITT rules; Strava responds to price hike criticism; Topless protesters arrested at TDU; Tributes paid to Lieuwe Westra; Scott recalls 'cracking' bikes; Toon Aerts the PE teacher
The latest news in the world of cycling
By Tom Davidson Last updated