If reports are correct and Tony Martin is being allowed to race with a concussion then this in my view is the dumbest thing they have done so far. How could an organisation like the UCI not have rules preventing riders taking part if they have concussion?

Concussion is just one of many physical problems they might get. I guess it’s down to the rider to decide if they are fit to race.

I imagine lots of riders have finished stages with concussion.

Another sensationalistic post heading 🙄

UCI dumber than you could ever believe – worse than doping in my view…

Complete over reaction in my opinion and foolish to liken it to doping. The guy has a concussion, his team doctors and himself would be more than capable of deciding whether or not he is fit to race. As for having a regulation for this type of thing… are you really sure you have thought this comment through?

Shouldn’t be down to the rider to decide if they are fit to race. They are after all concussed.

To approach it from a different angle – would you want to ride in a peloton with someone who had concussion?

Maybe he feels better after having some Lorenzo’s oil.

Here is what the IRB has as guidlines for concussion.

http://www.irbplayerwelfare.com/?documentid=3

Who to say the UCI haven’t followed similar protocols?

To approach it from a different angle – would you want to ride in a peloton with someone who had concussion?

Good point, but I would assume the mental state after a long tour stage, the fatigue and vagueness etc, is not that different to concussion.

are you going to stop riders racing if they are tired? after all we are told driving tired is as bad as being over the drink-drive limit.

Before a Player can restart exercise they must be symptom free for a period of 24 hours (Level 1)

Not enough time for that. And that’s 24hrs for a return to exercise, not return to competition.

It’s all well and good plying on the hardman image, but there’s being a hardman and then there’s being hit on the head too many times.

I mostly agree with the OP, injured rider with potential impairment of reaction speed and decision making gets the ‘all clear’ from his entirely unbiased team. He was reportedly unconscious for periods and had headaches over the evening.

Many sports won’t let you take part with a head injury until you demonstrate no impairment as concussed players/riders tend to cause accidents/have accidents and a second head injury to an already concussed individual can have wider consequences.

An independent Doctor clearing head injury cases wouldn’t be too hard to implement – its common in lots of sports.

What’s the issue?
Concern for other riders? Don’t see that as a big thing.
Concern for him self.
That’s his business and no one else’s.

Hmmm…

Although there is a point, Tony Martin did finish today along with Cav, Ian Stannard, and the rest of the autobus.

It perhaps suggests that the right call was made.

He was however talking about winning the stage at the start of the day.

I dont know what the rules are but it should be an independent doctor making the decision re safety.

I assume rugby is a bit more physical than cycling and you can compete on a bike with injuries you could not in rugby.
I further assume that a few big blokes thumping into you on a regular basis may be different from pedalling and the risks different. It is not a reasonable comparison IMHO

would you want to ride in a peloton with someone who had concussion?

Are they a triathlete?

He went to hospital, got seen there, then discharged, then reviewed again by the team doctor, and I would guess the Tour doc was also involved.

I understand the point about concussion, but I would think that he had enough assessment by enough medics to call it the right way.

If reports are correct

did he actually have concussion? or was it a totally unsubstantiated rumour?

Here is what the IRB has as guidlines for concussion.

Has cycling become a full contact sport all of a sudden?

Bad enough having concussion so if he has another crash and hits his head it could be catastrophic. Foolish IMO.

1. Don’t believe everything you hear on the tele, read in the papers etc.

2. UCI don’t run the Tour de France. The ASO do.

I haven’t seen today’s stage, but I’m assuming that he’s reached the end without any concussion induced trauma?

Shouldn’t be down to the rider to decide if they are fit to race. They are after all concussed.

🙄

I’d expect a 7 day ban on competitive riding, as per many motor sports.

He finished safely (at the back?) Time Trial coming up 🙂

Edit; Oh hang on his pretty good at that isn’t he.

Laughing & joking with kittel at the end, right decision

Surely only the doctor can say if he’s fit to race? Not the UCI. So long as there’s an independent doc involved and not just the team doc.

An independent Doctor clearing head injury cases wouldn’t be too hard to implement – its common in lots of sports.

Errrrr, so take yesterday, 20 riders crash, all in a hurry to get up and back on their bike/a spare. How exactly do you propose getting round all of them in a fair way, stop the pelaton?

What grade of concussion can one expect to receive from an acorn?

How did he manage to balance a drum kit on his bike?