Teams divided over use and risks of ketones at Tour de France
19 July 2019 01:05
The confirmation that several of the most successful teams at this year's Tour de France are using ketones has sparked debate amongst teams, and even a call for the revolutionary dietary aid to be banned to ensure that riders are competing on a level playing field. Ketones are naturally created by the body during extreme diets, while synthetic ketones are classified as a food supplement rather than a drug. They are not on the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of doping products but reportedly give a 1.5 per cent performance boost and can significantly aid recovery during a three-week race like the Tour de France when taken at the right time. The Jumbo-Visma team acknowledged to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf that it was using ketones, with Lotto Soudal also telling Sporza they use them. Professor Peter Hespel of the University of Leuven, who works closely with the Deceuninck-QuickStep team, also pointed to ketone supplements as being "probably a piece of the puzzle" of the Belgian team's success.ADVERTISEMENT According to Kieran Clarke, the British scientist who invented the ketone supplement, upwards of six teams were using ketones as a dietary supplement during the 2018 Tour de France but none of the teams wanted to be named. Reports of the use of ketones among the professional peloton dates back to the 2012 Olympic Games in London. In July 2015, Sporza reported that Belgian coach Paul van den Bosch suggested that Chris Froome use ketone supplements. However, Team Sky team manager Dave Brailsford denied to Cyclingnews that his riders had ever used ketones. The confirmation of the use of ketones, matched with the success of several teams this season, including at the Tour de France, has reignited debate about their use and impact on racing at this year's Tour.
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