"RJ" great 2CU here & ur videos have given tons of info 4 me to become "The Bike Guy" of my own bikes and thousands of others for sure. Thanxz mate & keep them coming. I think CF is more allergic to wearing his team Jersey apart from his allergic to his breathing. He is allergic to black and blue jersey , particularly to black and his symptoms got worst with the added strips to it but they were white and his victories were highlighted with long strips so he was able to manage with that. That's y he said in an interview when asked now u say u were not feeling OK on that stage but on that stage's post race interview u said I felt like I'm riding within my self. His reply was after a cheeky laugh we need to take some steps back here and I'm wearing the leader's "jersey" and I will not gonna hand it to another. I think their team has figured out the issue and thats y they have changed black in to white together with more colorful strips (though its complicated the whole thing but its better than having slogans like "marginal gains" "we have sirs with us" "riding for next sir title" "zero tolerance".....) in next season. And thats the only jersey color (young rider's) he (or any of his team mates if I remember right) has not managed to wear apart from the green jersey. But he "almost" managed to attack and come close to win green in a sprinting finish in stage 11 2016 TDF which might have surely cure his desire to wear green even that effort would have burnt few matches of him and all the matches of Geraint Thomas's together with his massive head shake on the podium to Sagan's celebration on the podium thinking "I should not only have his jersey but also his trophy which he thinks its a gun. shame on him" CHEERS MATE & MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Many many athletes suffer from exercise induced asthma and other variations. Just because they aren't a fat wheezing lump on a sofa it doesn't mean they're not asthmatic.
You are the reason I still have some interest in the Tour De France. It's not far-fetched to see the interest level subside due to the constant doping and duel standards of judging the riders. Great job explaining difficult issues
I smoked a bunch of hash and rode all around the Ardennes on a mountain bike for 3 weeks...drank lot of beer every night...Never won a race but then again I never entered a race...Does that make me a bike doper? It would be a crowning achievement.
what gets me as an asthmatic is that salbutimol is a rescue med, if you're on a maintenance program you should barely need the stuff. Not to mention being allowed to use it that much is a poor indication of the quality of the doctors on sky.
Actually it does, due to the combination of stress, allergens and high-carb diets (though Froome supposedly is low-carb). I had asthma as a runner, inhaler didn't help, only changing diet and reducing training.
I just came across this video and channel. I loved this episode and wish you were still doing commentary. I have watched you for years at the Tour de France and have always been a fan.
Well hey, let me just say that, no matter what happens at the elite levels of the sport, it isn't going to effect my training program one bit, nor is it going to affect how much I love getting out there and pushing myself so hard up a big climb that I get light-headed and my vision starts to dim. Get out there and live the cycling lifestyle, no matter what anyone else does or says.
Bobke...the photo over your right shoulder - what race is that from? I'm guessing it's '87 or '88 based on the assembly of teams in the group (ADR, Systeme U, and SuperConfex), and it appears as though you took the road less traveled.
"An epidemic of asthma"; that says it all. Take him down from the Vuelta win, and put him on a close watch - tight leash from here on. He's on the heels of the immortals in the Tour De France; if he's doing it with drugs, give him the Armstrong treatment. And require a TUE for all "asthmatics".
Hi, Bob. Merry Christmas 🎄. So glad you're back. Was going crazy checking my notification settings...then I realized my settings are fine, but you were MIA! As a person who needs an inhaler for asthma, I can tell you that symptoms come and go depending on time of year, pollen counts, humidity, etc. If Froome was in respiratory distress during the Vuelta, breathing becomes everything on your mind...screw the rules! If you can't breathe, you die. If you die, you'll not win the Vuelta. Having said that, any asthmatic pro athlete should automatically undergo testing to know how his/her body metabolizes their inhalant meds. If breathing becomes critical during a competition, the athlete & team doc can determine if the athlete can use more medication or should withdraw for the health & safety of the athlete. I believe these big, wealthy teams/sponsors victimize their riders in their quest for more wealth. If the rider doesn't go along with management decisions, their contract won't be renewed. (pretty much like any job with any big business). I love cycling & love watching top level competitions, but I don't ever want to see the health or safety of the athletes to be compromised for my viewing pleasure. I would respect team sponsors who take that into consideration. No more "win at all costs" mentality. Thanks for letting me vent 😆
Having this leaked does no one any favours. The procedure for limit infringement is run before the declaration is made (this is not a banned substance, it is only governed), that is so that we all do not start jumping to crazy conclusions and start setting up crucifixes along the roadside. This is not about trying to cover up or hide anything. Now we have this ludicrous scenario of a million different opinions about what has happened and even if it turns out to be reasonable that CF had such levels, it is already too late to reverse the damage. Nibali and Tony Martin should know better than to start mouthing off over their fellow competitors in such fashion, they know full well that this fire doesn't need stoking and it undermines the effectiveness of governing bodies. If we don't want the UCI or WADA controlling and making decisions, but Nibali instead, fine, let's do that, but right now we don't have Nibali in charge, we have a governing body and a set of rules and guidelines. The result of the test will now be with LADS ( the legal anti doping services), they will assess the results of the tests and a decision will be made about whether any further action should be taken or not. If anyone doesn't like the decision, start a petition, get Nibali in as the new governing emperor.Chris Froome may have used ingested Salbutamol or maybe from an iv or maybe he puffed too much or maybe it will be proved in the lab that he just took what everyone thought was acceptable and it turns out that in certain conditions that it returns this result - hopefully we shall learn which it is. However, now that someone with an axe to grind has released this news prematurely, CFs career and his reputation are damaged so badly that it would seem almost impossible for him to be able to ride the TDF due to the guaranteed aggressive and probably violent welcome from the French. Conclusion: No one is allowed to be the best.
As an actual asthma sufferer, I use an albuterol(salbutamol) inhaler periodically, but ONLY when I have an asthma attack. These kinds of steroids are only effective during an actual asthma episode. The way I see it, unless Froome has a clinical diagnosis for Asthma, then the level of salbutamol in his system is very "questionable". Roll is very diplomatically stating the doping control results for Froome don't look too good.
Hey Bob,great to hear from you; good to have you back. I was just so disappointed in him; I do think he knew he was way over the limit, and there has to be some level of penalty and results removal. I think cycling has done a lot to clean things up, but the governing authorities need to remain really vigilant.
Glad to have Bobke back! With ALL of these "scandals", one just has to follow the money: organizers, team sponsors, and equipment manufacturers. Cycle is a wonderful spectacle of endurance with epic heroic efforts. Unfortunately, professional sports is fueled by the primal desire for profit. Yet, cycling sports is still GREAT! Glad to have Bobke back - one of the best part of the sport!!!
Another sad example of the ongoing cheating culture in our beautiful sport. The rules are the rules and everyone should be required to play by them. I sincerely hope the truth comes out in this matter and it is dealt with fairly. Thanks for your efforts and honest opinion on this challenging situation.
thanks, I agree 1000%. How can they NOT know how many puffs is over the legal limit. With everything else they do to make sure the bikes, the sleep, the tire pressures, the food, the gearing, the clothing, etc. are 100% correct; how can they NOT know the proper drug amount to take. I hate it for us cycling fans. Very sad day for cycling.
I am still smiling that you are back, Bob, not that you ever went anywhere, just that next time please let us know that you'll be spending a few months sharing stories with the regulars at Mister Donut. Or spin us some George Carlin vinyl. Or maybe just show a fire in the fireplace with a Slurpee on the mantle. And we'll watch the Slurpee slowly melt until you get back.
I may may have it wrong, and I would love to hear from a pharmacologist about this but consider: the permissible dose over 24hours is 1600 micrograms, the threshold for the urine test 1000 nanograms per milliliter. Thus it would take 1.6 liters of urine to dilute a full dose to the threshold, half that (800ml) would produce Froome’s result. Normal daily urine output is usually listed as between 800 and 2000ml. Is it unreasonable to think that someone who only weighs 145 pounds would be at the low end of that range? Might finishing 18 stages of the Vuelta leave one a little dehydrated with below normal urine production? Team Sky, (and the whole sport for that matter) are at the low end of the credibility scale, and one has to wonder how a sport where performance is essentially defined by respiratory efficiency has so many participants with a respiratory disorder, but in this case Brailsford may have a point.
When I was younger I would beat people that take inhalers but it takes a long time to out pace them. Even if you use inhalers in practice, you're still cheating. If you have an asthma condition, you're not really the strongest athlete in the competition, we all have weakness but we don't all use some inhaler to negate that weakness.
So glad you are back, Bob, and I would pick the 'reckless' option. Cyclists love tech, cyclists love to measure and track everything and then look at it and talk about it and surely Chris knows how to puff with precision. And besides, as the big dog on the big squad, he should have a personal assistant who keeps tabs on the puffs and keeps him within bounds. And maybe his inhaler should be connected to the internet of things so it could be shut down when maximum allowable puffage is achieved. Something--anything--would be better than his doubling the permitted dosage. And twice as much of anything is a lot, a lot more than an errant puff.
Glad to see you back Bob!!, as for Froome, he should know better (to say the least) & the UCI should be consistent and apply the same criteria, no matter who's involved!
Michael Camlet it can't be reduced to negligence, because CF has said he absolutely didn't take more that he should have done. Ulisse admitted.he may have 'accidentally' taken more.
Bob you're way too easy on them. There's nothing complicated about this...they broke the rules. Sky and EVERY team know better... it's been headline news for decades. Zero tolerance. No excuses. UCI is deplorable...3 months until a leak blew their cover up. The riders who are clean should file a class action suit against the UCI, Sky and the doper. No more excuses. No more. Clean it up. PS...we missed you!
Always love your videos and agree with your assessment. How about some vids of your daily rides or from back in the day from your experience? How much do you ride now?
Looks like no White Christmas for you outside your French doors. Snowing here in Northern Illinois this morning. Perfect day for me to fall down on a ride lol. Merry Christmas!!! I want to think Fromme puffed till he could breathe but my gut tells me different. Cheers bro!
Brilliant commentary as usual. As you say, apparently it’s quite difficult to achieve 200% just by puffing alone, my biggest skepticism in all this is that it’s possible he’s having IV or tablets (which are completely banned) and that is being covered up by the UCI
Come Onnnnn BOB just do another video on "Epidemic of Asthma among endurance athletes???" this is the 10th time I'm replaying from 5:08 and I still can not stop my laugh. Yes ur laugh says it all but pls do some videos. If its possible while u are riding pls do so. But I know u are so much concern about the safety aspect of riding & in cycling as a whole and we all love u just for spreading that great message to every one. Respect to u sir for been fair to riders as u know actually who are making this wonderful sport dirty and its not the riders. Hats off 2u sir. U are the ones shall have honorary titles like "SIR" before ur name rather than those who actually offered with such. I have seen quite few times on these types of comments 2ur videos address u as such. While so called "others" are called as such u will be remain in our hearts as such. Keep on riding & be safe. Merry Christmas to u and 2 ur loved ones. CHEERS
It would be naive to think that anyone who is going for the TOP isn’t doping. It is what it is. The fans want to see super human performances, so super human is what they get. Not to mention the money that’s at stake at the top level. Same old game, slightly differently played.
Rh Last Nae You are stupid and dumb for believing what you just posted. Fans wants to see performances that are great and non PEDs aided. They want to see guys getting to the top of Alpe DHuez totally spent, not riding up AD without a care in the world on their face bcause they are souped up on drugs. Only a video game watching fool would actually desire to see doped results.
I've heard this argument before, and if you worship progress over natural potential or training, and then we're talking about a realm of possibilities that doesn't end - with med OR mech doping for your bike or body (i.e, in THAT mode of thought, exactly WHAT IS WINNING? the idea is completely meaningless). So, the better plan would be to simply fight for the honest result, as we have been, call out people for cheating and have them walk their walk of shame as soon as possible, so they can try again with their actual talent and training. I'm squarely with Bob and Nibali on this one - the honest truth is all we have.
The problem with Salbutamol ( 1970 released in the UK) is that if you take the right amount no test is ever going to detect it. The riders are taking large quantities before the start of the races, this is why you never see riders tossing their Inhalers out to the side of the roads. The Doctors for the teams are in on it as it is their job to hide the inhalers. Most of the time they use a machine inhaler mixed with oxygen on a Mask. If you take too much Salbutamol your kidneys can not process it properly so traces of it end up in the Urine. Froome either had an Injury or was too tired to race and just took a large dose. A large dose takes almost 20 minutes to a full hour to take it's effects. I have used Salbutamol during a bad case of Pneumonia Flu and know full well of it's effects. Later on used it it to test it on the bike and shaved at least 1 full minute on a simple 10 k course beating my best time so drugs make a big difference. Never used it again. Good video here.
Ulissi didn't lose his Giro stage wins because they were stages 5 and 8, but his positive test was on stage 11. So that's why he kept the stage wins - he has no reason to be stripped of them. All results for the ban period (i.e. from the AAF) were stripped.
Let’s test Froome riding a week without salbutemol at all, then another week with the allowable dosis, then another week with dosis above the allowed. Then cone with the results and I will believe he is not a doper.
GEEEZ! I was just getting over the Sagan elbow and now this. Hope I start feeling positive again before the Classics start. Six month suspension is a joke. Froome is too frail to ride the cobbles anyway. If he makes it to the Tour, I am sure he will pay for his sins on the mountain tops.
We missed you Bob, glad you're back. Ever since Chris Froome took outside help on the Mount Ventoux stage in 2013 he has shown that he is willing to be a de facto cheater, then two more times that same TDF he cheated de jure. The TDF even changed the rules to allow him to win without more (ridiculously negligible) penalties. It looked to me like the TDF did not want someone who looks like Nairo Quintana to win. Although I did not read his memoir, I understand he did not mention his having asthma. If I remember correctly, the following year he was caught on video using an inhaler during a race and then admits he has asthma. Now he has a high level of salbutamol in a stage of the Vuelta, which the UCI keeps hidden. I love bike racing, but it's so corrupt it's disheartening.
I think Froome should be suspended for 1 Year and should lose his results in the Vuelta and World's. No room for dopers. Let's get this sport clean and if it means putting SKY through the ringer, so let it be.
There has always been doping and there will always be doping in not just cycling but all pro sports. You know where millions of dollars are involved. Dont kid yourself all top pro riders are on an extensive medically supervised doping programs. Its time to stop beleiving in fairy tails. Its not the riders fault they just do what they have to do to be on the team/ to get the contract. Clean pro sports has never been and will never be
Hello Bobke, nice to see you back. We all missed you. Do you know if they have antidoping tests run in the worlds? And if so, how long does it take to have the results? Is it the same lab that run those tests? Is that lab independent from the UCI or grand tours organizers? It all smells funny from any point of view. What about in the track events like all those six days series? Love to watch them and all, but man, they are brutal, it makes you wonder how they do it. Merry Christmas Bobke.
A few thoughts: (1) The studies that were done on Salbutamol: were they done at high work outputs using top-level athletes who suffered from asthma and/or were susceptible to exercise-induced asthma? The drug might have little impact on the performance of people who do NOT have asthma, or at lower efforts. And there is the awkward question: if it does not boost performance, why take it? (2) The UCI's decision really doesn't matter: Froome has already "lost" the Vuelta in the world's eyes. Even if his high drug level is proven to have been inadvertent, he still had the excess drug in his system during the stage, which invalidates his placing. Unless it is claimed that the drug did not enhance his performance, and we're back to "then why take it?". (3) Granted the "procedure" calls for withholding the results until the investigation is complete. but a wiser decision (politically) on Sky's part would have been to release the results immediately and pull Froome out of the race. It's been proven repeatedly that the truth usually comes out, and it's far better to avoid the appearance of hiding things. Sky is SO smart in so many areas, how could they have been so dumb in this one? At this point the only way for Sky (and Froome) to salvage any shred of reputation is to voluntarily relinquish the Vuelta title. (4) If the UCI allows Froome to "keep" his Vuelta title, they only compound the damage to their own reputation. (5) The comparison between this and the Sagan TdF disqualification is striking. Sagan was kicked out in less than 12 hours (?) based on a hurried and faulty evaluation of the video footage. This confirmed drug violation was still hidden after 3 months, and Froome was allowed to finish the Vuelta (and compete in later events). So rough riding allegations are taken more seriously than failed drug tests?
There are ways too many questions still unanswered in this story. How may other riders at the Vuelta had this in their system? What concentration did they have it at? I also know more asthmatics than many people here by way of my profession. There is so much more to this than we have been told.
Sorry didn't get notification for this. Here is the article: www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/paul-kimmage-the-greatest-ever-or-just-another-drug-cheat-after-all-the-bullshit-why-should-we-care-36414204.html
By all means Team Skyy clearly knew. My 10yr old nephew knows how many he can take. Sorry Chris, if it quacks like a duck, it is a duck. Vuelta gone. World Championships gone. Fair is fair. You are not above the law.
I suffer from asthma and in my young days didnt think it was a hinderence but as I competed in .y chosen sport which I was good at I could never make it the rest is obvious and I didn't turn to drugs Mr froome
If you are competing at the tour de france as a top clean rider, you would be very naive to think that your main competitors are also clean. They may have TUE’s or taking something that is technically legal, but there is so such thing as being totally clean, and it is understandable considering the length of the race and its physical demands on the body. By far the toughest sport there is.
This video raised thoughts about the testing procedure. It would be more rigorous scientifically to take THREE samples. Samples A and B would be tested (in different batches, preferably using reagents with different lot numbers, on different instruments, on different days, possibly even in different facilities). I'm assuming they already follow proper procedure and include controls (positive AND negative) in each batch. Sample C is held in reserve as a "tie-breaker" in case the results for A and B disagree. This method would help catch "false negatives" that the current system misses (test A and if it is positive then confirm with a test on B, if A is negative go no further) and would also provide greater confidence in a positive result.
My personal opinion is that all drugs should be banned. If you have a medical condition that prevents you from performing at the highest levels of the sport, is not the medication you take in order to compete a performance enhancing drug? If the answer is no, then where is the problem with any rider taking some form of medication to aid recovery between stages? Double standards will always encourage people to try and outwit or, if you will, outflank the rule.Like loopholes in any law, they embolden the hair splitters. The end result, of course, is always going to be the sport of cycling getting more bad press. The powers that be need to make some hard decisions, draw a line in the sand and make sure all understand that when you cross the line you have stepped into a live mine field... and the fault and the responsibility are entirely your own.
Welcome back Bob. I can't see how it isn't going to be decided as cheating. In my personal opinion, I believe he was blood bagging in preparation for the tour and miscalculated the half-life of salbutamol (similar to what many believe Contador had done with clenbuterol). Does his blood transfusion with the tainted blood (not knowing it's hot), gets advice from the team doctor, takes a bit more than the regular dose, is seen taking 3 extra puffs after the stage at and by the podium. Salbutamol can also be used as a masking agent, he could have been trying to mask the EPO he would have had to have taken because with a reinfusion of trillions of red blood cells, his body would stop producing red blood cells until his system balanced once again. (Old Lance Armstrong technique). I believe also that Froome and Team Sky are relying on the misunderstanding of salbutamol and its different uses. Team Sky fanboys are rallying around the 'it's only an inhaler, how is that doping?" not even giving weight to the fact that salbutamol is regulated for a reason. To have to much salbutamol in you system, you want testers/fans to believe that you are being truthful in your dosage just as a rider with a TUE, once granted, it can in essence become 'legalized doping', who is monitoring the dosage from an official capacity? Alos working against Froome is the fact that the UCI will have 20 stages worth of testing when he was taking salbutamol correctly, to counter any kind of 'oops, my mistake' excuses they will inevitably provide. Part of the beauty of this is that once Froome shows up, he will be tested once he walks in the door to establish a true baseline and will not be surrounded by Team Sky personnel who could drop salbutamol tablets in his mouth or water bottles. Heard a theory that Brailsford and Company may have spiked his blood bag to get even with Froome for withholding his support for Brailsford earlier this year. The evil doctor destroying his greatest work type of horror story.
Why did Froome knowingly take more asthma medicine than needed ? He had to know that a drug test was coming. If you can't recall how much medicine you take it's time for pasture in a nursing home.
Idea for a new doping test. If you win the Tour De France, that is a positive result.
RJ The Bike Guy go away
"RJ" great 2CU here & ur videos have given tons of info 4 me to become "The Bike Guy" of my own bikes and thousands of others for sure. Thanxz mate & keep them coming.
I think CF is more allergic to wearing his team Jersey apart from his allergic to his breathing. He is allergic to black and blue jersey , particularly to black and his symptoms got worst with the added strips to it but they were white and his victories were highlighted with long strips so he was able to manage with that. That's y he said in an interview when asked now u say u were not feeling OK on that stage but on that stage's post race interview u said I felt like I'm riding within my self. His reply was after a cheeky laugh we need to take some steps back here and I'm wearing the leader's "jersey" and I will not gonna hand it to another.
I think their team has figured out the issue and thats y they have changed black in to white together with more colorful strips (though its complicated the whole thing but its better than having slogans like "marginal gains" "we have sirs with us" "riding for next sir title" "zero tolerance".....) in next season. And thats the only jersey color (young rider's) he (or any of his team mates if I remember right) has not managed to wear apart from the green jersey. But he "almost" managed to attack and come close to win green in a sprinting finish in stage 11 2016 TDF which might have surely cure his desire to wear green even that effort would have burnt few matches of him and all the matches of Geraint Thomas's together with his massive head shake on the podium to Sagan's celebration on the podium thinking "I should not only have his jersey but also his trophy which he thinks its a gun. shame on him"
CHEERS MATE & MERRY CHRISTMAS.
RJ The Bike Guy
🤣🤣🤣
Pretty much
RJ The Bike Guy i think your point would probably be valid for longer than ive been alive.
“An epidemic of asthma amongst endurance athletes.” 😂
Many many athletes suffer from exercise induced asthma and other variations. Just because they aren't a fat wheezing lump on a sofa it doesn't mean they're not asthmatic.
No, it doesn't. But it does make world-class performances at the highest levels of high altitude endurance sport unlikely.
"Enough grey to paint a battle ship." That's absolutely brilliant!!!
I’m glad you’re doing videos again! Please keep them coming! 👍🏻
I'll tell you whats disturbing...The fact that I got your joke regarding "I'm not a Dr. but I play one on TV" I remember that comercial
:-)
Welcome back Bob. You were missed. How can we go through the off season without your videos?
I HAVE ASTHMA SINCE WAS I BOY, I DONT UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA CAN DEVELOP GREAT PERFORMANCENCE IN SPORTS.
it depends. I had asthma as a boy but not since like 10. these super star athletes apparently still have asthma though. that's weird
Doesn’t make the sense that the team so obsessed with “marginal gains” would make such a non-marginal error.
You are the reason I still have some interest in the Tour De France. It's not far-fetched to see the interest level subside due to the constant doping and duel standards of judging the riders. Great job explaining difficult issues
Thanks Bobke! Always great to see you and hear from you on the BobkeTV..
I smoked a bunch of hash and rode all around the Ardennes on a mountain bike for 3 weeks...drank lot of beer every night...Never won a race but then again I never entered a race...Does that make me a bike doper? It would be a crowning achievement.
#cyclinggoals :)
what gets me as an asthmatic is that salbutimol is a rescue med, if you're on a maintenance program you should barely need the stuff. Not to mention being allowed to use it that much is a poor indication of the quality of the doctors on sky.
Just goes to show that the UCI really doesn't care about doping.
the uci is the fox looking after the chicken coop.
Pro racing is bad for health, it gives you asthma. :-I
Actually it does, due to the combination of stress, allergens and high-carb diets (though Froome supposedly is low-carb). I had asthma as a runner, inhaler didn't help, only changing diet and reducing training.
got asthma then to COPD from racing
Can you explain difference between Clenbuterol and Salbutamol ?
Was eagerly awaiting this video from you Bob. You didn’t disappoint!
I just came across this video and channel. I loved this episode and wish you were still doing commentary. I have watched you for years at the Tour de France and have always been a fan.
Well hey, let me just say that, no matter what happens at the elite levels of the sport, it isn't going to effect my training program one bit, nor is it going to affect how much I love getting out there and pushing myself so hard up a big climb that I get light-headed and my vision starts to dim. Get out there and live the cycling lifestyle, no matter what anyone else does or says.
Thanks Bob. I always look forward to and appreciate your videos.
Welcome back Bobke. Happiest of Holidays to you.
many thanks, you too
Agree..it’s amazing how many cyclists have asthma. Looking forward to your TdF 2018 preview, good seeing your videos again. Cheers
Thank you so much, Bob, for the clarity...
Thanks Bob ,asked all the questions the people have been wondering about!
good to see you back,Bob. Merry xmas!!
Bobke! It's good to hear from you!! Sorry it had to be this topic, though. Thanks for the vid.
Bobke...the photo over your right shoulder - what race is that from? I'm guessing it's '87 or '88 based on the assembly of teams in the group (ADR, Systeme U, and SuperConfex), and it appears as though you took the road less traveled.
"88 Paris-Roubaix, road less traveled for sure
"An epidemic of asthma"; that says it all. Take him down from the Vuelta win, and put him on a close watch - tight leash from here on. He's on the heels of the immortals in the Tour De France; if he's doing it with drugs, give him the Armstrong treatment. And require a TUE for all "asthmatics".
Hi, Bob. Merry Christmas 🎄. So glad you're back. Was going crazy checking my notification settings...then I realized my settings are fine, but you were MIA!
As a person who needs an inhaler for asthma, I can tell you that symptoms come and go depending on time of year, pollen counts, humidity, etc. If Froome was in respiratory distress during the Vuelta, breathing becomes everything on your mind...screw the rules! If you can't breathe, you die. If you die, you'll not win the Vuelta.
Having said that, any asthmatic pro athlete should automatically undergo testing to know how his/her body metabolizes their inhalant meds. If breathing becomes critical during a competition, the athlete & team doc can determine if the athlete can use more medication or should withdraw for the health & safety of the athlete. I believe these big, wealthy teams/sponsors victimize their riders in their quest for more wealth. If the rider doesn't go along with management decisions, their contract won't be renewed. (pretty much like any job with any big business).
I love cycling & love watching top level competitions, but I don't ever want to see the health or safety of the athletes to be compromised for my viewing pleasure. I would respect team sponsors who take that into consideration. No more "win at all costs" mentality. Thanks for letting me vent 😆
Keep up the good work Bobke - best cycling commentary !
asthmatic pro cyclist wins tour de france multiple times...remember lance when he survived cancer and did win 7 times?
weird comparision
@@netfischer apt comparison actually
Having this leaked does no one any favours. The procedure for limit infringement is run before the declaration is made (this is not a banned substance, it is only governed), that is so that we all do not start jumping to crazy conclusions and start setting up crucifixes along the roadside. This is not about trying to cover up or hide anything. Now we have this ludicrous scenario of a million different opinions about what has happened and even if it turns out to be reasonable that CF had such levels, it is already too late to reverse the damage.
Nibali and Tony Martin should know better than to start mouthing off over their fellow competitors in such fashion, they know full well that this fire doesn't need stoking and it undermines the effectiveness of governing bodies. If we don't want the UCI or WADA controlling and making decisions, but Nibali instead, fine, let's do that, but right now we don't have Nibali in charge, we have a governing body and a set of rules and guidelines.
The result of the test will now be with LADS ( the legal anti doping services), they will assess the results of the tests and a decision will be made about whether any further action should be taken or not.
If anyone doesn't like the decision, start a petition, get Nibali in as the new governing emperor.Chris Froome may have used ingested Salbutamol or maybe from an iv or maybe he puffed too much or maybe it will be proved in the lab that he just took what everyone thought was acceptable and it turns out that in certain conditions that it returns this result - hopefully we shall learn which it is.
However, now that someone with an axe to grind has released this news prematurely, CFs career and his reputation are damaged so badly that it would seem almost impossible for him to be able to ride the TDF due to the guaranteed aggressive and probably violent welcome from the French.
Conclusion: No one is allowed to be the best.
As an actual asthma sufferer, I use an albuterol(salbutamol) inhaler periodically, but ONLY when I have an asthma attack. These kinds of steroids are only effective during an actual asthma episode. The way I see it, unless Froome has a clinical diagnosis for Asthma, then the level of salbutamol in his system is very "questionable". Roll is very diplomatically stating the doping control results for Froome don't look too good.
Bobke!!!! Glad you’re back! Great commentary...as always.
Hey Bob,great to hear from you; good to have you back. I was just so disappointed in him; I do think he knew he was way over the limit, and there has to be some level of penalty and results removal. I think cycling has done a lot to clean things up, but the governing authorities need to remain really vigilant.
Glad to have Bobke back! With ALL of these "scandals", one just has to follow the money: organizers, team sponsors, and equipment manufacturers. Cycle is a wonderful spectacle of endurance with epic heroic efforts. Unfortunately, professional sports is fueled by the primal desire for profit. Yet, cycling sports is still GREAT! Glad to have Bobke back - one of the best part of the sport!!!
Another sad example of the ongoing cheating culture in our beautiful sport. The rules are the rules and everyone should be required to play by them. I sincerely hope the truth comes out in this matter and it is dealt with fairly. Thanks for your efforts and honest opinion on this challenging situation.
Bob no videos for the Giro? Or early season ?
How about the new race in colombia?
thanks, I agree 1000%. How can they NOT know how many puffs is over the legal limit. With everything else they do to make sure the bikes, the sleep, the tire pressures, the food, the gearing, the clothing, etc. are 100% correct; how can they NOT know the proper drug amount to take. I hate it for us cycling fans. Very sad day for cycling.
Took your own Broom Wagon off the back time, good to see You Bobke!!!
Man, this guy is baked af. He smoked some superweed a few minutes before making this video!
So glad you’re back . Merry Christmas Bob.keep the video coming.what effect on Performance does it have??
Team Sky and Froome know exactly what’s going into their bodies, there are no mistakes
I am still smiling that you are back, Bob, not that you ever went anywhere, just that next time please let us know that you'll be spending a few months sharing stories with the regulars at Mister Donut. Or spin us some George Carlin vinyl. Or maybe just show a fire in the fireplace with a Slurpee on the mantle. And we'll watch the Slurpee slowly melt until you get back.
I may may have it wrong, and I would love to hear from a pharmacologist about this but consider: the permissible dose over 24hours is 1600 micrograms, the threshold for the urine test 1000 nanograms per milliliter. Thus it would take 1.6 liters of urine to dilute a full dose to the threshold, half that (800ml) would produce Froome’s result. Normal daily urine output is usually listed as between 800 and 2000ml. Is it unreasonable to think that someone who only weighs 145 pounds would be at the low end of that range? Might finishing 18 stages of the Vuelta leave one a little dehydrated with below normal urine production?
Team Sky, (and the whole sport for that matter) are at the low end of the credibility scale, and one has to wonder how a sport where performance is essentially defined by respiratory efficiency has so many participants with a respiratory disorder, but in this case Brailsford may have a point.
Bobke I like v-neck/crucifix combo. Say it loud, say it proud brother. Nice job by you Phil and the Crew on the 2020 Tour!
Its really simple when one team is dominant in cycling such as team sky you have to ask why.
Because they ride pinarellos and take advantage of marginal gains, of course!
When I was younger I would beat people that take inhalers but it takes a long time to out pace them. Even if you use inhalers in practice, you're still cheating. If you have an asthma condition, you're not really the strongest athlete in the competition, we all have weakness but we don't all use some inhaler to negate that weakness.
I have been asthmatic for a long time and I have been told that if I require sarabutamol more than 3 times a week then I need medical help!
Great show Bob, welcome back!
Tdf 2018 is 6 months away! More frequent videos?
So glad you are back, Bob, and I would pick the 'reckless' option. Cyclists love tech, cyclists love to measure and track everything and then look at it and talk about it and surely Chris knows how to puff with precision. And besides, as the big dog on the big squad, he should have a personal assistant who keeps tabs on the puffs and keeps him within bounds. And maybe his inhaler should be connected to the internet of things so it could be shut down when maximum allowable puffage is achieved. Something--anything--would be better than his doubling the permitted dosage. And twice as much of anything is a lot, a lot more than an errant puff.
Glad to see you back Bob!!, as for Froome, he should know better (to say the least) & the UCI should be consistent and apply the same criteria, no matter who's involved!
I can understand reducing the suspension due to negligence. But why keep the results? Please keep up with story!
Michael Camlet it can't be reduced to negligence, because CF has said he absolutely didn't take more that he should have done. Ulisse admitted.he may have 'accidentally' taken more.
Why keep the results ? To avoid the chaos that we have now.
Bob you're way too easy on them. There's nothing complicated about this...they broke the rules. Sky and EVERY team know better... it's been headline news for decades. Zero tolerance. No excuses. UCI is deplorable...3 months until a leak blew their cover up. The riders who are clean should file a class action suit against the UCI, Sky and the doper. No more excuses. No more. Clean it up. PS...we missed you!
Yaaaaa!!! Bobke is back! I was worried for a bit..😱
Always love your videos and agree with your assessment. How about some vids of your daily rides or from back in the day from your experience? How much do you ride now?
Looks like no White Christmas for you outside your French doors. Snowing here in Northern Illinois this morning. Perfect day for me to fall down on a ride lol. Merry Christmas!!! I want to think Fromme puffed till he could breathe but my gut tells me different. Cheers bro!
Brilliant commentary as usual. As you say, apparently it’s quite difficult to achieve 200% just by puffing alone, my biggest skepticism in all this is that it’s possible he’s having IV or tablets (which are completely banned) and that is being covered up by the UCI
Welcome back! Good comments.
Bobke - Would you ever consider doing a Stages Podcast or at least a guest call in spot? I would love to see that and I'm glad to see you back!
Thanks for keeping it real!! Love ya Bobke!
Come Onnnnn BOB just do another video on "Epidemic of Asthma among endurance athletes???" this is the 10th time I'm replaying from 5:08 and I still can not stop my laugh. Yes ur laugh says it all but pls do some videos. If its possible while u are riding pls do so. But I know u are so much concern about the safety aspect of riding & in cycling as a whole and we all love u just for spreading that great message to every one. Respect to u sir for been fair to riders as u know actually who are making this wonderful sport dirty and its not the riders.
Hats off 2u sir. U are the ones shall have honorary titles like "SIR" before ur name rather than those who actually offered with such. I have seen quite few times on these types of comments 2ur videos address u as such.
While so called "others" are called as such u will be remain in our hearts as such. Keep on riding & be safe. Merry Christmas to u and 2 ur loved ones. CHEERS
It would be naive to think that anyone who is going for the TOP isn’t doping. It is what it is. The fans want to see super human performances, so super human is what they get. Not to mention the money that’s at stake at the top level. Same old game, slightly differently played.
Rh Last Nae You are stupid and dumb for believing what you just posted. Fans wants to see performances that are great and non PEDs aided. They want to see guys getting to the top of Alpe DHuez totally spent, not riding up AD without a care in the world on their face bcause they are souped up on drugs. Only a video game watching fool would actually desire to see doped results.
I've heard this argument before, and if you worship progress over natural potential or training, and then we're talking about a realm of possibilities that doesn't end - with med OR mech doping for your bike or body (i.e, in THAT mode of thought, exactly WHAT IS WINNING? the idea is completely meaningless). So, the better plan would be to simply fight for the honest result, as we have been, call out people for cheating and have them walk their walk of shame as soon as possible, so they can try again with their actual talent and training. I'm squarely with Bob and Nibali on this one - the honest truth is all we have.
The problem with Salbutamol ( 1970 released in the UK) is that if you take the right amount no test is ever going to detect it. The riders are taking large quantities before the start of the races, this is why you never see riders tossing their Inhalers out to the side of the roads. The Doctors for the teams are in on it as it is their job to hide the inhalers. Most of the time they use a machine inhaler mixed with oxygen on a Mask. If you take too much Salbutamol your kidneys can not process it properly so traces of it end up in the Urine.
Froome either had an Injury or was too tired to race and just took a large dose.
A large dose takes almost 20 minutes to a full hour to take it's effects. I have used Salbutamol during a bad case of Pneumonia Flu and know full well of it's effects. Later on used it it to test it on the bike and shaved at least 1 full minute on a simple 10 k course beating my best time so drugs make a big difference. Never used it again.
Good video here.
Ulissi didn't lose his Giro stage wins because they were stages 5 and 8, but his positive test was on stage 11. So that's why he kept the stage wins - he has no reason to be stripped of them. All results for the ban period (i.e. from the AAF) were stripped.
Thank you. You explained this issue perfectly, and I love your defying laugh about this is priceless. Great vid👍
"but I do play one on TV." Great joke, Bob. You are a classic!
MERRY CHRISTMAS Bob from Appleton Wisconsin!
Let’s test Froome riding a week without salbutemol at all, then another week with the allowable dosis, then another week with dosis above the allowed. Then cone with the results and I will believe he is not a doper.
GEEEZ! I was just getting over the Sagan elbow and now this. Hope I start feeling positive again before the Classics start. Six month suspension is a joke. Froome is too frail to ride the cobbles anyway. If he makes it to the Tour, I am sure he will pay for his sins on the mountain tops.
We missed you Bob, glad you're back.
Ever since Chris Froome took outside help on the Mount Ventoux stage in 2013 he has shown that he is willing to be a de facto cheater, then two more times that same TDF he cheated de jure. The TDF even changed the rules to allow him to win without more (ridiculously negligible) penalties. It looked to me like the TDF did not want someone who looks like Nairo Quintana to win. Although I did not read his memoir, I understand he did not mention his having asthma. If I remember correctly, the following year he was caught on video using an inhaler during a race and then admits he has asthma. Now he has a high level of salbutamol in a stage of the Vuelta, which the UCI keeps hidden. I love bike racing, but it's so corrupt it's disheartening.
I think Froome should be suspended for 1 Year and should lose his results in the Vuelta and World's.
No room for dopers. Let's get this sport clean and if it means putting SKY through the ringer, so let it be.
Carlos Lopes i dont understand why certain teams/riders get priviliges.
There has always been doping and there will always be doping in not just cycling but all pro sports. You know where millions of dollars are involved. Dont kid yourself all top pro riders are on an extensive medically supervised doping programs. Its time to stop beleiving in fairy tails. Its not the riders fault they just do what they have to do to be on the team/ to get the contract. Clean pro sports has never been and will never be
If they test for a substance with a set limit and you exceed the limit in both A and B samples then you flunked your test.
Hello Bobke, nice to see you back. We all missed you. Do you know if they have antidoping tests run in the worlds? And if so, how long does it take to have the results? Is it the same lab that run those tests? Is that lab independent from the UCI or grand tours organizers? It all smells funny from any point of view. What about in the track events like all those six days series? Love to watch them and all, but man, they are brutal, it makes you wonder how they do it. Merry Christmas Bobke.
I know that Team Sky has totally lost credibility even before this incident, but could another rider have spiked Froome's coffee?
Bobke's back!!!
BOBKE very good Froome commentary and you brought up a very great point! Negligence
A few thoughts:
(1) The studies that were done on Salbutamol: were they done at high work outputs using top-level athletes who suffered from asthma and/or were susceptible to exercise-induced asthma? The drug might have little impact on the performance of people who do NOT have asthma, or at lower efforts. And there is the awkward question: if it does not boost performance, why take it?
(2) The UCI's decision really doesn't matter: Froome has already "lost" the Vuelta in the world's eyes. Even if his high drug level is proven to have been inadvertent, he still had the excess drug in his system during the stage, which invalidates his placing. Unless it is claimed that the drug did not enhance his performance, and we're back to "then why take it?".
(3) Granted the "procedure" calls for withholding the results until the investigation is complete. but a wiser decision (politically) on Sky's part would have been to release the results immediately and pull Froome out of the race. It's been proven repeatedly that the truth usually comes out, and it's far better to avoid the appearance of hiding things. Sky is SO smart in so many areas, how could they have been so dumb in this one? At this point the only way for Sky (and Froome) to salvage any shred of reputation is to voluntarily relinquish the Vuelta title.
(4) If the UCI allows Froome to "keep" his Vuelta title, they only compound the damage to their own reputation.
(5) The comparison between this and the Sagan TdF disqualification is striking. Sagan was kicked out in less than 12 hours (?) based on a hurried and faulty evaluation of the video footage. This confirmed drug violation was still hidden after 3 months, and Froome was allowed to finish the Vuelta (and compete in later events). So rough riding allegations are taken more seriously than failed drug tests?
There are ways too many questions still unanswered in this story. How may other riders at the Vuelta had this in their system? What concentration did they have it at? I also know more asthmatics than many people here by way of my profession. There is so much more to this than we have been told.
welcome back mr. bob
"intestinal fortitude" That's a nice phrase.
Regardless to the situation... it is so great to hear from you.
Season greetings.
Welcome back!
Kimmage said it best that he redefined what it means to be ill!
What did Paul Kimmage say?
Sorry didn't get notification for this. Here is the article:
www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/paul-kimmage-the-greatest-ever-or-just-another-drug-cheat-after-all-the-bullshit-why-should-we-care-36414204.html
Good job Bob! I enjoy your commentary. Froome's case will be complicated at best!
Can somebody please tell me out of all the starters in the tour, giro and veulta had asthma I'd be very grateful.
UK Olympic Cycling team in Rio was 80% asthmatics, an apparent UK Cycling specialty.
Bob, now we need your apology video.
By all means Team Skyy clearly knew. My 10yr old nephew knows how many he can take. Sorry Chris, if it quacks like a duck, it is a duck. Vuelta gone. World Championships gone. Fair is fair. You are not above the law.
I totally agree with you
Ah. Bobke!!! Welcome back!!!! 🚴🤘😁
I suffer from asthma and in my young days didnt think it was a hinderence but as I competed in .y chosen sport which I was good at I could never make it the rest is obvious and I didn't turn to drugs Mr froome
If you are competing at the tour de france as a top clean rider, you would be very naive to think that your main competitors are also clean. They may have TUE’s or taking something that is technically legal, but there is so such thing as being totally clean, and it is understandable considering the length of the race and its physical demands on the body. By far the toughest sport there is.
This video raised thoughts about the testing procedure. It would be more rigorous scientifically to take THREE samples. Samples A and B would be tested (in different batches, preferably using reagents with different lot numbers, on different instruments, on different days, possibly even in different facilities). I'm assuming they already follow proper procedure and include controls (positive AND negative) in each batch. Sample C is held in reserve as a "tie-breaker" in case the results for A and B disagree. This method would help catch "false negatives" that the current system misses (test A and if it is positive then confirm with a test on B, if A is negative go no further) and would also provide greater confidence in a positive result.
What I think: Bob, you’re the greatest!
While iam at it,Merry Christmas Bobke! 🎁🎄🎅🚴
My personal opinion is that all drugs should be banned. If you have a medical condition that prevents you from performing at the highest levels of the sport, is not the medication you take in order to compete a performance enhancing drug? If the answer is no, then where is the problem with any rider taking some form of medication to aid recovery between stages? Double standards will always encourage people to try and outwit or, if you will, outflank the rule.Like loopholes in any law, they embolden the hair splitters. The end result, of course, is always going to be the sport of cycling getting more bad press. The powers that be need to make some hard decisions, draw a line in the sand and make sure all understand that when you cross the line you have stepped into a live mine field... and the fault and the responsibility are entirely your own.
Bobke you are alive!
Welcome back Bob. I can't see how it isn't going to be decided as cheating. In my personal opinion, I believe he was blood bagging in preparation for the tour and miscalculated the half-life of salbutamol (similar to what many believe Contador had done with clenbuterol). Does his blood transfusion with the tainted blood (not knowing it's hot), gets advice from the team doctor, takes a bit more than the regular dose, is seen taking 3 extra puffs after the stage at and by the podium. Salbutamol can also be used as a masking agent, he could have been trying to mask the EPO he would have had to have taken because with a reinfusion of trillions of red blood cells, his body would stop producing red blood cells until his system balanced once again. (Old Lance Armstrong technique).
I believe also that Froome and Team Sky are relying on the misunderstanding of salbutamol and its different uses. Team Sky fanboys are rallying around the 'it's only an inhaler, how is that doping?" not even giving weight to the fact that salbutamol is regulated for a reason. To have to much salbutamol in you system, you want testers/fans to believe that you are being truthful in your dosage just as a rider with a TUE, once granted, it can in essence become 'legalized doping', who is monitoring the dosage from an official capacity?
Alos working against Froome is the fact that the UCI will have 20 stages worth of testing when he was taking salbutamol correctly, to counter any kind of 'oops, my mistake' excuses they will inevitably provide. Part of the beauty of this is that once Froome shows up, he will be tested once he walks in the door to establish a true baseline and will not be surrounded by Team Sky personnel who could drop salbutamol tablets in his mouth or water bottles.
Heard a theory that Brailsford and Company may have spiked his blood bag to get even with Froome for withholding his support for Brailsford earlier this year. The evil doctor destroying his greatest work type of horror story.
When I was at school the kids who suffered from asthma got to skip gym. They certainly weren't athletes.
Battle Ship Gray (area) should be the color of the team Sky kit
Why did Froome knowingly take more asthma medicine than needed ? He had to know that a drug test was coming. If you can't recall how much medicine you take
it's time for pasture in a nursing home.