Cycling bans controversial use of carbon monoxide rebreathing

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12:32 PM on Saturday, February 1, 2025

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN

Cycling’s governing body has banned the repeated use of carbon monoxide rebreathing that some riders misuse to artificially increase their performances. Following a meeting of its executive committee on Saturday in France, the UCI says it approved a ban on repeated inhalation to protect the health of riders. The ban will start on Feb. 10. The gas can be used as a tracer to monitor the diffusion of oxygen in the lungs or the total mass of hemoglobin, a key blood value for racers. Two-time Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard said last month that some are using the method to dope “by regularly inhaling low doses of carbon monoxide, which leads to a significant increase in the performance.”