Tour de France 2018: Tom Dumoulin criticises world cycling’s handling of Chris Froome’s Salbutamol case

On Monday the UCI announced that it was no longer investigating Froome’s adverse analytical finding for excessive levels of the asthma drug found in his system during his 2017 Vuelta a Espana

Tom Dumoulin has criticised world cycling’s handling of Chris Froome’s Salbutamol case, claiming it has damaged the reputation of the sport.

On Monday the UCI announced that it was no longer investigating Froome’s adverse analytical finding for excessive levels of the asthma drug found in his system during his 2017 Vuelta a Espana triumph, 10 months ago.

Froome’s presence at the Tour de France, which begins in Vendee on Saturday, has caused much debate with Tour organisers attempting to block the four-time winner’s registration on the grounds that he would damage the image of the sport, before making a U-turn once his case was dropped.

Team Sunweb rider Tom Dumoulin of the Netherlands (Reuters) (REUTERS)

Dumoulin, the 2017 Giro d’Italia winner who will lead Team Sunweb’s challenge around France this month, believes the process around Froome’s case has damaged the sport.

It’s incredible,” Dumoulin said. “I’m not blaming Froome. He’s been cleared. It’s how the whole case has been handled which is just a mess, it’s really unfortunate. It’s not what cycling needs.

“It’s ruining the reputation of cycling and fans are probably walking away from the sport because of this. It’s just the way it’s been handled — not how it should have been.”