After saying in the past that he was hampered at times by the parasite bilharzia, requiring treatment to cause it to leave his system, Tour de France winner Chris Froome has stated that he believes the issue has been permanently solved.
The Briton, who grew up in Kenya, said last year that he was undergoing six month checks after each treatment to make sure that it hadn’t returned.
He has now said that it was fully out of his system. “At last I am free of the debilitating disease bilharzia,” he told the Independent. “I had a test when I went back to Kenya recently and it is the first time it has come back negative since the diagnosis [in 2009]. That is fantastic news for me. I'm not going to have to worry about that any more. That should be it gone now.”
Froome previously blamed the illness for periods of poor form, although once it was originally diagnosed it was possible to treat it with medication which would clear signs of the parasite from his system. Further tests were needed to verify it hadn’t returned.
Twelve months ago he also said that he was cleared. “I had a two week treatment in April last year, and have since been clear of the parasite,” he confirmed in December 2012, speaking to VeloNation. “I have it checked every six months to make sure it hasn't returned.”
Now, one year later, his most recent statement suggests it was still there at the time. “I have been going back every six months for the past two years and returning positive results,” he told the Independent.
“When I was first diagnosed they said it had been in my system for at least two years, but it could have been there even longer, five or six years possibly."
Froome has said that he hopes to win multiple editions of the Tour. He beat Nairo Quintana (Movistar) and Joaquim Rodriguez (Katuasha) this year.