原文出处：cyclingweekly
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/tour-de-france/tour-de-france-organiser-block-chris-froome-racing-384689
缩网址：https://goo.gl/37pDQG
Tour de France organiser to block Chris Froome from racing
Gregor Brown July 1, 2018 12:22 pm
French newspaper Le Monde reports that Team Sky have been told that the
defending champion will not be allowed to start this year's race
Chris Froome‘s presence in the 2018 Tour de France is not certain, according
to French newspaper Le Monde. The Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) is trying
to stop the four-time champion from lining up on July 7 in Vendée due to his
ongoing asthma drug case.
Froome’s attendance at the Tour start next Saturday in Noirmoutier-en-l’Î
le will not be known until later this week.
Sky appealed the ASO’s decision to the French Olympic Committee court
(CNOSF). A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, July 3, at 9AM, read the
article. A decision is expected on Wednesday – three days before the Tour
start.
“We are confident that Chris will be riding the Tour,” Team Sky said in a
statement. “We know he has done nothing wrong.”
Froome and other cyclists are able to use asthma drug salbutamol, but Team Sky
’s star tested above the allowed limit on September 20 in the Vuelta a Españ
a. He went on to win the race overall.
The case is ongoing and because it involves a specified substance, Froome is
allowed to race until any ruling that would stop him. A decision is expected
later this summer, already delayed due to the legal complexity and the
ramifications of this case.
The organiser is said to be using article 28.1: ‘A.S.O. believes it is vital
to preserve its image and reputation, as well as those of the event. In
compliance with article 2.2.010 bis lines 7 and 8 of the UCI governing
cycling sports, A.S.O. expressly reserves the right to refuse the
participation in – or disqualify from – the event, a team or one of its
members whose presence is liable to damage the image or reputation of A.S.O.
or those of the event.’
The organiser informed Team Sky by mail. The team has yet to confirm or deny
the story when asked for comment.
Froome continued to race since winning the Vuelta a España and the news that
he tested over the allowed limit of salbutamol.
This May, he became the first British rider to win the Giro d’Italia in one
of the biggest come-from-behind victories in the modern era. Froome took over
the race lead with an 80.3-kilometre solo attack in the 19th stage to
Jafferau.
Many applauded, but many complained.
Former French pro and five-time Tour de France winner Bernard Hinault blasted
Froome and said that riders should strike over his presence in the Tour. UCI
President David Lappartient said that Froome has every right to race, but
should sit out while the case is ongoing.
“It’s terrible that the authorities have not managed to resolve this
problem before the start of the world’s biggest race,” Tour race director,
Christian Prudhomme said this week.
“I will not comment more but of course, rules have to be changed.
“An abnormal control is not clear to the larger public. It has to be black
or white, positive or negative.”
Of note, Team Sky is one of the few teams yet to announce its eight-man
roster for the Tour.
It is rumoured to be Froome, Geraint Thomas, Michal Kwiatkowski, Luke Rowe,
Egan Bernal, Wout Poels, Jonathan Castroviejo and Gianni Moscon, with
Salvatore Puccio as a reserve.
However, if Team Sky is forced to leave Froome home, recent Critérium du
Dauphiné winner Thomas could become the sole leader.
The last time ASO tried such a move was with Tom Boonen’s cocaine case in
2009. Boonen, however, appealed the exclusion and raced that year’s Tour de
France.
Three judges Thomas Clay, Franck Latty and Mathieu Maisonneuve have the files
for the Tuesday date. Team Sky and Froome selected the first, ASO the second
and the two parties agreed on the third.
Any negative decision by the French Olympic Committee court (CNOSF) could be
appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but the timeframe means
that it would likely not have time to rule before the Tour rolls away from
Noirmoutier-en-l’Île on Saturday.