Froome gets expert backing

There is nothing unusual in Tour de France leader Chris Froome’s maximum heart rate being 168 beats per minute, according to a consultant cardiologist.

Froome, the 2013 Tour champion, has faced renewed scrutiny after dominating the first mountain stage of the 102nd edition of the race to take a near three-minute lead.

Team Sky principal Sir Dave Brailsford says Froome’s performance data was hacked, with critics using power data and heart rate data to argue that the 30-year-old must be using performance-enhancing drugs.

Froome has always denied doping, is prepared to be a spokesperson for clean cycling and described his maximum heart rate as “pretty normal – for me anyway” when questioned about the video which appeared using the obtained data after Wednesday’s 11th stage, when he retained his lead of two minutes 52 seconds over BMC Racing’s Tejay van Garderen.

Consultant cardiologist Dr Mark Appleby told Press Association Sport: “For fitness testing we would aim for a peak heart rate of (220, minus the person’s age), but some athletes plateau out at a lower maximum heart rate and 168 would be well within the physiological range expected for a 30-year-old athlete.

“Heart rate alone is only one of the variables for athletes training.

“Athletes often have a lower resting heart rate but are able to achieve a very high maximal oxygen consumption at their peak heart rate.”