Froome on doping ban and doping allegations

From his home in Kenya, where he is currently recuperating and preparing for next season, Chris Froome welcomes the introduction of tougher penalties for doping.

“It is great that WADA [World Anti-Doping Agency] plans to extend the ban from two to four years, and that cycling is being taken as leading the way in the fight in anti-doping,” he told the press.

“When first-time offenders are given a four-year ban, that’s quite serious for a sport when the window is very short. You can only be a professional for 15 years. It is a harsh penalty and that’s what we need to see in cycling,” Froome said.

The WADA announcement may make cycling into the world’s cleanest sport, if it is not already. Froome stated that cycling could already by “the cleanest endurance sport there is,” simply based on the numerious out-of-competition tests that are currently being carried out.

Froome furthermore admitted that he has been affected and “hit hard” by the post-Tour doping allegations, and by the claims that his win was not honest.

“It was a very difficult time in the Tour De France. Everybody was asking me … and people were saying to me, ‘you could be doping,’” he said. “It definitely added stress during the Tour.

“That hit me quite hard, but it was something I expected, because after Lance Armstrong everyone was asking questions about it and I came to accept it, because I knew it came from the past and everyone putting on the yellow jersey could be asked about doping.”

Notwithstanding the doping allegations, Froome looks set to repeat his 2013 feat and claim the Tour throne.