Leading French cyclist Romain Bardet believes the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Chris Froome's adverse drugs test has damaged the credibility of the sport.
Four-time Tour de France champion Froome, 32, is currently under scrutiny from the UCI after a urine test revealed that he had double the permitted dosage of salbutamol in his system during this year's Vuelta a Espana.
Although Froome has welcomed the investigation and has strongly denied any wrongdoing, Bardet, who finished third at this year's Tour de France behind Rigoberto Uran and winner Froome, believes the incident can only have a negative impact on the sport's image.
"This is not good news for cycling," the AG2R team leader told AFP. "Pretty much everyone gets hit by something like this, cycling's credibility first and foremost.
"We really could have done without it. It's not something anyone can rejoice about. Let's hope that a swift and objective probe can clarify the facts and leave no doubts about what happened."
