Carbon monoxide gadget banned from cycling

LIEVIN, France – A ban on a controversial carbon monoxide breathing method used by some top riders, including Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar, is to begin in February, the sport’s governing body said on Feb 1.

“It will be banned as of Feb 10 in order to protect the health of our athletes,” the International Cycling Union (UCI) announced.

“Today’s decision is an important step in the right direction,” UCI president David Lappartient said, describing it as an audacious but necessary move.

The method is thought to boost red blood cells and endurance.

The initiative marks a further step by cycling chiefs to outlaw the technique, after asking the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) at the end of November to “take a position” on the matter.

“Carbon monoxide is a toxic, odourless gas that is often a cause of household accidents,” the UCI observed, in a statement in December.

“Inhaled in low doses and under strict safety conditions, the gas is used in medicine as a tracer to measure the pulmonary diffusion of oxygen or of the total haemoglobin mass.

“However, when inhaled repeatedly in non-medical conditions, it can cause side effects such as headaches, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, breathing difficulties, and even loss of consciousness.”

The use of the potentially lethal gas by at least three teams was revealed last summer during the Tour de France by the specialist cycling website Escape Collective.

Among them are Israel Premier-Tech, Pogacar’s UAE Team and Jonas Vingegaard’s Visma.

“The new regulation forbids the possession, outside a medical facility, of commercially available CO re-breathing systems connected to oxygen and CO cylinders,” the UCI said in a statement on Feb 1, after an executive committee meeting.

“This ban applies to all licence-holders, teams and/or bodies subject to the UCI regulations and to anyone else who might possess such equipment on behalf of riders or teams.

“The inhalation of CO will remain authorised within a medical facility and under the responsibility of a medical professional experienced in the manipulation of this gas for medical reasons.”

Meanwhile, on the track, Swiss champion Mauro Schmid held off an elite chasing pack in searing heat to win the first World Tour one-day classic of the season on Feb 2 at the Cadel Evans Road Race in Australia’s Victoria state.

The Jayco Alula rider made his move on the downhill section of the final climb in Geelong with some 7km left, opening a 10-second gap and clinging on for a solo finish in 4hr 26min 7sec.

Aaron Gate (Astana) narrowly pipped fellow New Zealander and 2024 winner Laurence Pithie (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) into second place, three seconds behind Schmid.

Australia’s Rudy Porter (ARA) took the King of the Mountain honours on a day when temperatures topped 40 deg C.

“I think this is pretty close to the top,” said Schmid, when asked if it was his career highlight. “It’s the first race I’ve won at World Tour level.” AFP, REUTERS