Chris Froome hopes releasing his physiological data can help to rebuild trust in cycling, but admits he is ‘realistic’ enough to know he will not ‘convince everyone’ he is a clean athlete.
The 30-year-old Team Sky rider underwent independent physiological tests in a laboratory in August and the results have been published by Esquire magazine, with a separate scientific paper to follow.
The two-time Tour de France winner said in a statement: ‘I am realistic and recognise that these results will not convince everyone. The deceit of the past still casts its shadow, but my hope is that transparency like this can be another small step in helping rebuild trust in the sport I love.’
Froome’s performances in independent laboratory tests were at the upper limits for humans, scientists reported.
That conclusion is not a surprise, given Froome has twice won the toughest endurance event in sport, yet it may not be enough to answer his detractors, whose cynicism stems from years of performance-enhancing drug use in cycling.
‘The results hopefully tell their own story,’ Froome added. ‘The figures make one thing clear to me. Natural ability is only one piece of the puzzle of what it takes to win an event like the Tour de France.
‘I have always prided myself on my work ethic, dedication and perseverance and I am proud to ride for a team that has shown that you can win the biggest bike races in the world clean.’
In July, Froome was subject to innuendo and scrutiny, doused with urine and called a doper in claiming a second yellow jersey.
His Team Sky squad released performance data during the Tour, relating to the commanding win on Stage 10 to La Pierre Saint-Martin, in a bid to quell suspicion, but his critics would not be convinced after previously being duped by the likes of Lance Armstrong.
Froome’s maximum volume of oxygen was recorded as 84.6. At his Tour-winning weight it would correlate to 88.2, according to Esquire. The general population has a maximum of 35 to 40, with highly trained individuals in the 50s and 60s.
Phillip Bell, a senior sports scientist at GlaxoSmithKline, said: ‘Froome’s values are close to what we believe are the upper limits in humans.’
Froome also released blood data readings, which were reported as normal. – Daily Mail