Tour de France crash cases and controversies reveal the limits of road checks | Bike News

As happens every year, accidents have occurred during the opening week of the Tour de France, several incidents show how difficult it is to overcome the problem of the sport when the clock is ticking.

Of the eight riders who have left the race since it began in Barcelona, ​​​​​​​​Spain, on July 4, three left due to concussion: Frenchman Clement Berthet of Groupama-FDJ United, Dutch rider Alex Molenaar of Caja Rural-Seguros RGA and Torstein Traeen of Norway of Uno-X Mobility, who briefly wore the yellow jersey.

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All three had one thing in common: they fell, finished the stage and then came out later that evening when the diagnosis was made.

Berthet went down hard during the team’s opening, Molenaar crashed 5km (3 miles) from the end of the fifth stage, while Traeen crashed the next day on the descent of the Col du Tourmalet wearing the race leader’s yellow jersey.

“It is not very satisfying for us to see riders diagnosed with a problem after they resume racing,” Xavier Bigard, the International Cycling Union’s (UCI) medical director, told Reuters.

The UCI introduced the contact system at the start of the 2021 season. A year earlier, French rider Romain Bardet rode nearly 90 kilometers despite being seriously injured in an accident at speeds exceeding 60km/h (37mph).

“We’ve come a long way,” said Bigard, who began working on the protocol after joining the UCI in 2018.

Under the current system, a passenger who has had an accident must be evaluated by the first person to reach them, usually a mechanic from their group.

If the person shows two visible signs of concussion – such as nausea, headache or neck pain, weakness in the legs, confusion or difficulty walking – the rider must be removed from the race.

If not, the rider may continue before being tested again in the race from the medical car or team car. That review involves answering a few simple questions about the contest, and the rider may still be disqualified.

Where concussion is suspected, a full 10-minute test should be performed after the stage.

“The side effects are short,” said Mathieu Le Strat, chief medical officer at Groupama-FDJ United. “It happens when it’s very hot, so it’s difficult to monitor.

“You have a rider who gets caught in the race and immediately wants to get back on the bike, so it’s not easy.

“A proper concussion protocol takes 10 to 15 minutes and involves several tests. You can’t do this on the side of the road.”

Florence Pommerie, the chief doctor of the Tour de France since 2010, also emphasized how difficult it is to recognize a faint.

“You can’t see it,” he said. “There is no single sign to tell, but a combination of signs.”

Pommerie added that he never saw any of the three passengers in question return to the ambulance after their accidents.

“Some symptoms appear immediately but disappear within a few hours, while others appear later,” said Bigard, explaining why on-the-road evaluations can differ from those that occur after the stage.

All those interviewed agreed that cycling has had a serious problem in recent years.

“Now people know everything,” said Pascal Chanteur, vice president of the CPA passenger association.

The biggest challenge, however, is how important it is to get back on the bike in a sport where every second counts, especially for a rider who is fighting for the rest of the team in a three-week race.

“We’re in an imperfect situation, and we’re trying to make it as imperfect as possible,” Bigard said.

He said training remains a “real problem” in elite cycling, a sport driven by performance.

“It’s a long process that will take time, but it’s worth it.”