exactly........that's what causes 'the line' to be moved

if there's enough fuss and sponsors pull out and the public start to lose interest then it's up to the guardians of the sport to shift that line against which the competitors can push...........but wherever the new line is they'll still push against it

On this specific issue, do you think the line should be moved?

Yes......I think the criteria for these TUEs should be beefed up

Apparently the system is that the team doctor puts in an application and the UCI has a medical committee which assesses it and gives a Yea or a Nay

The 'impression' is that these applications are going through on the nod

Obviously it's difficult to know because there are probably thousands of these things and we find out about the odd one........but it does seem to be ridiculous that half the peloton appear to be asthma sufferers

Perhaps it might be an idea for the UCI to publish a list of applications that were turned down (without necessarily naming the riders) so we can get more of an idea as to where their current line lies

But on the face of it.......there appears to be a need for a tightening of the rules and a stricter medical assessment of any application for an exemption

Chris Froome's Vistory Speech after his first win in 2013


is this remark significant in retrospect?

A couple of things - sport in general, not just cycling.

Just out of interest, given a one-off TUE - how would they know if it wasn't just administered the once.

Why are there so many supposed asthmatics in elite sport?


Personally, I would have thought there should be a period of non-participation for a certain period after a TUE, depending on the medication

Because extreme exercise, especially in cold weather, can actually induce asthma.

Anyway, Queen Stage of the Eneco today over much of the Tour of Flanders course. Then next week there are three Italian one-dayers, the Varese Three Valleys on Tuesday, Milano-Torino on Wednesday, and the Classic Tour of Lombardy on Saturday.

Oops, race leader Rohan Dennis has just gone down in the rain in the Eneco, will be losing a lot of time.

Just seen an ad on ES........looks like they're showing all 3 of those races

I'm trying to think this through regarding a professional cyclist with asthma whose symptoms are triggered by exercise.

Do such individuals carry an inhaler with them while racing? (i.e. In case of emergency). Any examples?

Has a known asthmatic abandoned due to an asthma attack? If so, when?

It's a recognised condition.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-c...n/con-20033156

Whoops wrong thread

Froome in yellow during the Dauphine 2014: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/insp...4/06/9g4mr.gif

Yates' inhaler dropped in Gent-Wevelgem 2014: https://youtu.be/LRnInyTd8b8?t=4m46s

Wiggins in Rio velodrome: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CpsKpWjXYAAcVB4.jpg

Not an abandonment due to asthma, but an abandonment at the TdF,.due to the refusal to permit an intra-muscular or intravenous cortisone injection. http://velonews.competitor.com/2001/...vaughters_1265

wow. that's like airplane.

I 've got the mayo clinic on line three, and Mr ham on five.
OK give me ham on five, and hold the mayo

interesting posts on the asthma topic. thanks all.

I don't doubt that the condition (asthma attack triggered by exercise) exists. I was looking for info in the public domain, as opposed to things hidden by medical confidentiality, about how it relates to cyclists.

Thanks to "cmq2" for links showing public examples of inhaler use and the Jonathan Vaughters story.

I also found the following quote in an article at;
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/...cycling-223300

What is the prevalence of asthma among elite sportspeople?
In terms of the research we have done, around 21 per cent of the British Olympic team were using an inhaler. It’s higher in sports with a high aerobic element such as cycling and swimming. Some reports suggest that around 40 per cent of British Olympic cyclists use an inhaler, and it’s similar in other sports that have a high ventilatory requirement.

I cannot equate that level of inhaler use with any positive image sports governing bodies would want to project.

As said above, all very interesting.

Exercise runs the body down and renders the body more prone to any illness.

An asthmatic will probably use an inhaler everyday. What I imagine they use TUEs for will be used for is for steroids after an attack. My mother, who is an asthmatic, has to use steroids after an attack.

For my mother it is climatic conditions not exercise that causes attacks.

Can I just extend congratulations to Laura Trott and Jason Kenny after they got married yesterday?

It stinks.

The fact that it is all hidden, says it all

Team G̶B̶ Weezy

Good start list for this - 10 world tour teams

Astana in particular are sending a strong squad with Nibali, Aru, Cataldo, Fugelsang, Rosa, Kangert, Lopez

No Brits !........which is becoming unusual in the top couple of grades of races

Also a huge field.......the start list shows 27 teams of mainly 8 riders

Eurosport 2.00pm

Reports are that the men's Tour San Luis that runs in January alongside the TDU is no more: http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/..._medium=Social

Online coverage was starting to improve but still was relatively poor and unreliable. Last year the TDU complained a few big names including Sagan, Quintana and Nibali opted for Argentina instead of their WT race.

Tour of Lombardy, one of the major classics, on Eurosport on Saturday afternoon.

http://www.ilombardia.it/en/

Another race coming up on Sunday, the Tour de l'Eurometropole, aka Le Circuit Franco-Belge. runs from Poperinge to Tournai in Belgium, skirting the suburbs of Lille in France.

http://www.circuitfrancobelge.com/le...r/accueil.html

Live on Eurosport 2.

And then the Binche-Chimay-Binche from the Ardennes on Tuesday on ES 1.

As ever, the temptation when you get to Chimay is to just stay there for the rest of the week.

http://chimay.com/en/bieres/#acceptLicense

I love cycling. I have been watching it for over 30 years, both live and on tv. Not only did Armstrong dope, lie and bully, he made people doubt that what they were seeing was clean, and doubt that the UCI were that bothered about what went on behind closed doors as they didn't want to kill the goose that laid their golden egg ( US tv audiences and sponsorship there)

I want to believe that we're heading in the right direction but everything needs to be above suspicion. I hate so say this, but if Wiggins needs serious medications, then he shouldn't be racing within a set period of time after taking it. If at all.

Gripping close finish after a hard, selective course that reduced it down early to the strong riders with no team support. I prefer the Lombardia ending in Bergamo over the old city walls.

Great end of the WT season with only the Doha Worlds to come in terms of major races.

Not quite yet, Paris-Tours next weekend.