- Title: Froome's rivals react to his positive salbutamol test
- Date: 14th December 2017
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (DECEMBER 14, 2017) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** FAMILY PHOTO OF 2018 MOVISTAR CYCLING TEAM MOVISTAR RIDER NAIRO QUINTANA TALKING TO COMPANY OFFICIAL MOVISTAR RIDER ALEJANDRO VALVERDE POSING WITH TEAM MANAGER EUSEBIO UNZUE AND TELEFONICA'S PRESIDENT JOSE MARIA ALVAREZ-PALLETE MOVISTAR RIDER MIKEL LANDA VARIOUS OF FAMILY PHOTO VARIOUS OF MOVISTAR RIDER NAIRO QUINTANA APPROACHING JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MOVISTAR RIDER NAIRO QUINTANA SAYING: "That's a thing the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) should see (Froome's case). They are the organisation in charge of the control. They just need to do their job right." QUINTANA WITH JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MOVISTAR RIDER NAIRO QUINTANA SAYING: "My main goal for this year is the Tour (de France). A hundred percent will be the Tour. I know there are other nice and important races that I would like to run but I am focused on the Tour." MOVISTAR RIDER ALEJANDRO VALVERDE APPROACHING JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MOVISTAR RIDER ALEJANDRO VALVERDE SAYING: "It's a strong shock. As I said before, it's a strong shock (Froome's positive test). It's shocking but we need to know it's an allowed substance, but he exceeded the dose. And if he did, it's clearly wrong and it should be like that. It is shocking, but they didn't find any other substance." JOURNALIST ASKING: "But his consume was not clinic…" (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MOVISTAR RIDER ALEJANDRO VALVERDE SAYING: "That's why I'm saying it's wrong. Things like this shouldn't happen and that's why we are shocked. But I can't say anymore because I don't know anything else." MOVISTAR RIDER MIKEL LANDA APPROACHING JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MOVISTAR RIDER MIKEL LANDA SAYING: "Of course you never expect this kind of news (Froome's positive test). But today we are here to celebrate the unveiling of the Movistar team and that's the only news for us today." LANDA TALKING WITH JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MOVISTAR RIDER MIKEL LANDA SAYING ON FIRST MEETING WITH TEAM MATE NAIRO QUINTANA: "We said we are now team mates and we should take advantage of it. We need to be united and try the team to win the Tour (of France)." LANDA WITH JOURNALISTS LANDA ARRIVING TO STAGE RIDING BIKE DURING UNVEILING CEREMONY QUINTANA ARRIVING TO STAGE RIDING BIKE VALVERDE ARRIVING TO STAGE RIDING BIKE / VALVERDE, QUINTANA AND LANA SITTING VARIOUS OF MOVISTAR CYCLING TEAM DURING CEREMONY VARIOUS OF CEREMONY IN PROGRESS QUINTANA LANDA VALVERDE CEREMONY MOVISTAR TEAM MANAGER EUSEBIO UNZUE APPROACHING JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MOVISTAR TEAM MANAGER EUSEBIO UNZUE SAYING: "Well yes, it's inevitable to say it's a sad day and very sad news (Froome's positive test). But really, today is not the day to comment on it. Today is about the (Movistar) team and at this point (Froome's) issue is being investigated, I think we can't say anything else and we'll see what happens in the future." UNZUE LEAVING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) WOMEN'S MOVISTAR CYCLING TEAM RIDER MAVI GARCIA, SAYING: "In the first place, it means that we, as women are receiving the importance we deserve and did not have. That's the main thing and then for us, this opportunity means to be able to focus only in cycling and it's a chance to get more level. It's a chance as well for people to see it (women's cycling) more because that's what we are missing in order to have more fans and evolution." GARCIA LEAVING VARIOUS OF FAMILY PHOTO OF WOMEN'S MOVISTAR CYCLING TEAM RIDERS
- Embargoed: 28th December 2017 14:21
- Keywords: Spain Cycling Movistar team Nairo Quintana Alejandro Valverde Mikel Landa Chris Froome doping
- Location: MADRID, SPAIN
- City: MADRID, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Cycling,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0017BVZTQ7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Movistar cycling team reacted on Thursday (December 14) to team Sky rider Chris Froome's positive test for excessive levels of asthma drug salbutamol at this year's Vuelta a Espana.
During the unveiling of the 2018 Movistar team ceremony, rider Alejandro Valverde said it was shocking news and it shouldn't happen although it's a legal substance.
Riders Nairo Quintana and Froome's former team mate Mikel Landa said the day was about the team but they did say it was an unexpected new which should be solved by the UCI (Union Cycliste Professionale).
The UCI said on Wednesday the Briton's urine sample contained twice the allowed limit of Salbutamol, a legal drug, when he was tested at the Vuelta in September.
Froome said on Wednesday (December 13) he has not broken any rules and said he understood why fans would be disappointed and shocked to hear about the test in light of recent doping scandals in cycling but that his issue was a 'different case'.
The Tour de France champion said he is 'happy to help' cycling's governing body, the UCI, to find out exactly what happened. Froome, who has not been suspended, said he had followed medical advice and taken an increased dosage of Salbutamol -- within the limits -- after his asthma worsened.
When asked about his first meeting with team leader Nairo Quintana, Mikel Landa said they spoke about taking advantage of being on the same team and they will attempt to finally win the Tour de France for the Spanish team.
Quintana, differently from other seasons where he had an ambitious agenda, said he will focus a "100 per cent" on the French tour and will decide about running other races during the season.
Movistar team also unveiled for the first year their Women's Cycling team which will run at the UCI World Tour with eight riders. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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