Two-time Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard has known as for a ban on the controversial use of carbon monoxide rebreathing.

This methodology is employed by some athletes to measure efficiency.

In an interview with Le Monde, the Visma-Lease a Bike rider highlighted considerations concerning the misuse of the approach to artificially improve athletic skills.

Can Carbon Monoxide Enhance Efficiency?

Vingegaard defined that his staff makes use of the tactic responsibly to measure blood quantity and haemoglobin mass, essential indicators for cyclists. “We inhale carbon monoxide earlier than and after altitude coaching to calculate most oxygen absorption capability,” he stated. Nevertheless, he raised considerations that some athletes abuse the method by often inhaling small doses of carbon monoxide, which he claims considerably boosts efficiency.

Carbon Monoxide and Altitude Coaching

The observe first drew widespread consideration throughout final yr’s Tour de France when Escape Collective reported that riders from a number of groups used carbon monoxide to optimise altitude coaching. The gasoline is usually employed as a tracer to observe oxygen diffusion within the lungs and haemoglobin ranges however can turn into problematic when misused.

In December, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) introduced that its administration committee would focus on a attainable ban on carbon monoxide rebreathing for medical causes throughout a gathering in France from January 31 to February 1. The UCI warned of the potential well being dangers, together with complications, fatigue, nausea, chest ache, and even lack of consciousness, when the gasoline is inhaled repeatedly exterior managed medical circumstances.