Chris Froome reveals the long-term impacts of contracting Covid-19 at the Tour de France: ‘A heavy impact on the heart’

Chris Froome has outlined the long-term impact Covid-19 has had on his health.

“I came out of the season not feeling good. I feel I really needed a break,” said Froome.

“Covid really knocked me for six. I just wasn’t able to come back from that.

“I never felt like I had lots of energy on the bike. I went to the Vuelta to build through the race but all the way through I felt flat, flat, flat.”

Froome – a seven-time Grand Tour winner – said that Covid impacted on his heart and his VO2 max, which is the amount of oxygen someone can consume during exercise.

“There’s definitely a heavy impact on the heart, having Covid,” said Froome.

“It’s not just like having the flu, like a lot of people think, especially for pro riders.

“From those I’ve spoken to within the peloton, a lot of guys are really struggling with after-effects two or three months down the line – feeling fatigue, feeling as if they don’t have the same energy levels, strange heart rate readings as well.

“It was good to go to Israel, do a whole load of physiological tests, go and check VO2 max, which was definitely affected by having Covid. So some heart checks which was important as well just to check that everything was all right.”

Froome, despite his Covid-related struggles, added that he feels great now he is back in training.

“It’s great to get back into regular training,” said Froome.

“My body feels so much cleaner, everything’s starting to work better, I’m less sluggish, more energy. I don’t know if it’s just those endorphins that I really missed but it feels great to be back training.”

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