During the congress of theUCI in Nice, theInternational Cycling Union warned all teams about the dangers of inhaling carbon monoxide (CO). Several teams, such as Visma | Lease a Bike, UAE Team Emirates et Israel-Premier Techuse this method to optimize their runners' altitude training. The teams were informed of the potential effects of repeated CO inhalation on performance during a seminar of theUCI. This explicitly asked teams and cyclists not to use this technique repeatedly, tolerating only a single inhalation in a controlled medical setting. At the same time, theUCI requested theWorld Anti-Doping Agency (AMA) to take an official position on this practice.
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A controversial practice
Several teams have confirmed the use of this method to improve their altitude training and possibly optimize blood levels. The device used, a carbon monoxide “rebreather”, makes it possible to measure crucial blood values and to inhale CO in a controlled manner, which could, according to some recent studies, produce the same effects as a stay at physical altitude .
Mathieu Heijboerperformance manager at Visma | Lease a Bikerecognizes this use: “We have been working for several years with Bent Rønnestad to take these measurements at the start and end of the altitude training.” Chez UAE Team Emirates, Adriano Rotunno specifies that the device is used only for physiological tests: “It's not a therapy. It's a diagnostic tool to understand the physiology of our athletes.”
Pogacar and Vingegaard explain themselves
The runners Tadej Pogacar et Jonas Vingegaard have confirmed the use of this controversial but legal method. Pogacar explain : “It’s an internship test to see how we react to altitude. […] It’s not like we breathe gas every day.” For his part, Vingegaard add: “Inhaling CO is not dangerous. We are simply measuring the number of red blood cells in the blood and the effect of a course at altitude.”
L’UCIrecalling that inhaling CO can be fatal, insisted on the need to clarify the rules, especially if this practice clearly proves beneficial for performance.
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