Tour de France - Carbon Monoxide Method causes whirls: Is that doping?
The inhalation of potentially lethal Carbon Monoxide causes discussions during the Tour de France. Top-Stars Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard have admitted to using the gas for performance measurement. The method involves making a test with a so-called Carbon Monoxide-Rebreathing Device before and after a high-altitude training camp to measure the camp's success. According to the regulations of the World Anti-Doping Agency, this is not forbidden.
The web magazine "Escape Collective" discovered that the method is used by teams UAE, Visma, and Israel-Premier Tech – all three teams admitted to this. The German team Red Bull confirmed to the German sports show "Sportschau" that they do not possess or use such a device.
Pogacar's statements at the Tour de France surprise
What makes the Carbon Monoxide situation suspicious are two points: On the one hand, the same technical devices can be used for the inhalation method instead of the rebreathing method. According to studies, this can lead to a performance boost because more oxygen can be transported through the blood.
For the second suspicious moment, Pogacar himself is responsible. He denied having ever heard of it when confronted with it during the final week of the Tour. "I thought it only came from the exhaust. But maybe I'm too uneducated," the 25-year-old said. The next day, Pogacar retracted his statement and attributed it to a misunderstanding.
Pogacar explained exactly how the test works. He had done it once before a high-altitude camp. He claimed that there was no repetition because "the woman who was supposed to do it simply didn't show up." It was just a simple test. Vingegaard's Visma team stated that they have been working with Norwegian Professor Bent Rønnestad for years and only use the method in his presence.
- Despite denying knowledge of Carbon Monoxide usage during the final week of the Tour de France, Tadej Pogacar later admitted to undergoing the test before a high-altitude training camp, attributing his initial misunderstanding to a lack of education.
- The use of Carbon Monoxide for performance measurement in cycling has raised concerns, as the same devices can be used for both the inhalation method and the Carbon Monoxide-Rebreathing Device, potentially leading to a performance boost due to increased oxygen transport through the blood.
- German rider Jonas Vingegaard's team, Visma, has a long-standing collaboration with Norwegian Professor Bent Rønnestad, and they only use the Carbon Monoxide method in his presence, ensuring adherence to regulations and avoiding any performance-enhancing misconduct.
