Chris Froome has called the suggestion that he may have been in a group of riders treated with corticosteroids ahead of the 2012 Tour de France "complete rubbish" and has backed David Brailsford despite calls for his resignation.
Team Sky's leader spoke on Tuesday, one day ahead of the Tirreno-Adriatico stage race where he will face rivals Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) and Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida) for the overall title. It marks his second race this season after debuting to questions on his own salbutamol case at the Ruta del Sol in February.
>>> Race organisers should be able to prevent Chris Froome from racing, says anti-doping group
The House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee looked at the use of therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) at Team Sky, chiefly Bradley Wiggins's application for corticosteroid triamcinolone ahead of the 2012 Tour de France and 2013 Giro d'Italia.
The committee's report said that the "powerful corticosteroid was being used to prepare Bradley Wiggins, and possibly other riders supporting him, for the Tour de France."
"I've never seen anything like that, it's not my experience within the team, that that's how the team operates," Froome said.
Asked if he was part of that preparation group for the 2012 Tour, Froome said, "No. That's absolute rubbish, I've seen that accusation, but no that's complete rubbish."
He responded "no, no" when asked if team manager, David Brailsford should resign.
Froome joined Team Sky as an unknown rider when it began in 2010, one who few considered a potential Tour de France winner. The Brit, who now counts four victories, backed his team in light of the report's allegations.
"I can only speak from my own experiences in the team," Froome said. "I've been there for eight years, since day one, when the team started. I certainly have a very different picture to what's been painted in the headlines.
"I'm proud to be part of the team. I wouldn't have stayed so long, I wouldn't have been in the team, I wouldn't still be in the team, if I didn't believe in the team and the people around me. Dave B has brought all those people together and we've got a fantastic group of people."
Froome must race with a hurricane brewing around Monday's report but also his own case for asthma drug salbutamol. He tested for twice the allowed limit in September en route to winning the Vuelta a España. The case is rolling ahead and Froome risks a potential suspension and stripping of the Vuelta title.
"That's part of something I've been dealing with over my whole career as a pro cyclist," Froome said when asked about how he would concentrate on racing with news in the background. "I've come up against adversity and I've learnt how to compartmentalise things. Right now, I'm here to race Tirreno and I'm focusing on that, and I'm building towards the Giro d'Italia."
-
-
Five talking points from the Tokyo Olympics men's road race
Richard Carapaz took Ecuador's second-ever gold medal
By Jonny Long •
-
Wout van Aert happy with his own tactics as rivals mark him out en route to silver at Tokyo Olympics road race
The Belgian was forced to try and cover multiple moves as he attempted to tame a thrilling Olympic road race
By Jonny Long •
-
Ineos Grenadiers end partnership with Castelli in favour of new clothing sponsor
After five successful seasons, the British racing outfit is now parting ways with its Italian clothing partner
By Stefan Abram •
-
Chris Froome and Philippe Gilbert save fan who fell down ravine on Tour de France stage 17
The incident occurred on the descent of the Col du Portet as the riders made their way back to the buses
By Jonny Long •
-
Chris Froome: 'I've got my running shoes in the car so I'm ready for Ventoux'
The four-time Tour de France champion looks back on the last time the race went up Mont Ventoux
By Jonny Long •
-
Chris Froome 'heading in the right direction' despite dark bruising on hip and chest
The four-time champion says he can never remember seeing so many injured riders in the peloton
By Jonny Long •
-
Early GC time gaps don't make much difference to eventual Tour de France podium, argues Ineos' Michał Kwiatkowski
The Polish super domestique says the British team were prepared to spend more energy early to keep GC riders safe, but even that can prove insufficient at the Tour de France
By Jonny Long •
-
Luke Rowe explains why he was handed fine on Tour de France stage three
The British rider was fined by commissaries for 'assault, intimidation, insults, threats, improper conduct'
By Cycling Weekly •
-
Israel sports director questions whether the best-ever Chris Froome could compete with young stars of today
Israel Start-Up Nation say Froome didn't come into the Tour 100 per cent, but will improve by the third week, and will hopefully be the 'real Chris Froome' at this year's Vuelta a España
By Jonny Long •
-
Chris Froome finishes stage two of Tour de France despite injuries, Ineos Grenadiers riders lose more time
Tao Geoghegan Hart lost a big chunk of time for the second day running
By Chris Marshall-Bell •
