{"id":2188863,"date":"2026-10-09T14:23:20","date_gmt":"2026-10-09T11:23:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2188863"},"modified":"2026-10-09T14:23:20","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T11:23:20","slug":"can-cyclists-actually-avoid-injuries-and-illness-experts-examined-three-years-of-uae-team-emirates-xrg-data-to-find-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2188863","title":{"rendered":"Can cyclists actually avoid injuries and illness? Experts examined three years of UAE Team Emirates-XRG data to find out"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-2000-80.png&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><article class=\"page-content-onecol flex-1\nnews-article article\n\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"widget-area-group widget-area-group-2col flex flex-wrap box-border\">\n<div id=\"widgetArea16\" class=\"widget-area basis-full md:basis-2\/3 widget-area-g-md-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-lg-vp-2-3 widget-area-g-xl-vp-2-3 page-widget-area-16\">\n<div data-widget-type=\"hero\" id=\"hero\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-hero widget-hero widget-hero-hero widget-hero widget-hero-fter-news\">\n<div class=\"news-article\">\n<header data-component-name=\"Article:Hero\">\n<nav class=\"breadcrumb\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\">\n<ol>\n<li>\nPro Cycling\n<\/li>\n<li>\nRules\n<\/li>\n<li>\nSafety\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<h1>Can cyclists actually avoid injuries and illness? Experts examined three years of UAE Team Emirates-XRG data to find out<\/h1>\n<div class=\"kiosq-member-label\" data-component-name=\"Article:Hero:KiosqPaywallLabels\"><span class=\"kiosq-member-label-text\"><br \/>\nMEMBER EXCLUSIVE<br \/>\n<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"byline-social\">\n<div class=\"vds-byline-block flex flex-row flex-nowrap my-1.5 gap-2 text-left items-start justify-center mx-auto max-sm:text-center max-sm:items-center\" data-component-name=\"Article:BylineBlock\">\n<p>Features<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-auto vds-simple-byline\"><span class=\"inline-block vds-author\"><br \/>\nBy<br \/>\nJames Witts <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex gap-1 vds-byline-with-avatar__meta max-sm:justify-center\"><span class=\"vds-date block font-normal tracking-normal normal-case text-xs\"><br \/>\nPublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-10-09T14:23:20Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n9 October 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">A broken rider is like a broken wheel: useless, so in a sport obsessed with marginal gains, staying injury-free might be the biggest advantage of all. Drawing on medical research by UAE Team Emirates-XRG, James Witts analyses the stark cost of crashes, illness and lost training days<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"text-gray-700 flex items-center mx-0 my-5 p-0 justify-center text-center\" id=\"affiliate-disclaimer\" data-component-name=\"AffiliateDisclaimer\" data-hawk-message=\"Affiliate disclaimer removed because hawk deemed there are no affiliate links on this page\">\n<p class=\"text-[color:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--text-color,inherit)] mb-2 text-[length:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--font-size,0.75rem)] leading-[18px] md:text-[13px] [&amp;&gt;a]:text-inherit [&amp;&gt;a]:underline\">\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here\u2019s how it works.\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-widget-type=\"contentparsed\" id=\"content\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-contentparsed widget-content widget-contentparsed-content widget-content-parsed widget-content-parsed-content_document \">\n<div class=\"wcp-item-content\">\n<section class=\"content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"box less-space hero-image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"mb-0\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-2000-80.png.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-1920-80.png.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-1600-80.png.webp 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-1440-80.png.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-1280-80.png.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-1200-80.png.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-1024-80.png.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-970-80.png.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-750-80.png.webp 750w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-480-80.png.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"font-article-copy text-(--image--text--color) font-article-copy mt-2\"><span class=\"caption-text font-article-copy\">UAE Team Emirates-XRG&#8217;s medical team analysed three seasons&#8217; worth of data in a bid to reduce the number of days lost to injury and illness<\/span><span class=\"credit font-article-copy\">(Image credit: Szymon Gruchalski\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"text-copy bodyCopy auto paywall-locker\">\n<div data-analytics-id=\"utility-bar\" id=\"utility-bar\" class=\"font-ui-heading flex justify-between items-center py-2 border-t border-b border-gray-300 border-solid mb-5 mx-auto\" data-component-name=\"UtilityBar\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"utility-bar\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div data-component-name=\"Social:Dropdown\" role=\"menu\" id=\"utilitybar__dropdown--share\" aria-labelledby=\"utilitybar__button--share\" class=\"absolute left-0 top-full w-44 bg-white rounded-md shadow-md border border-neutral-200 z-[9996] list-none m-0 py-2 px-3 border-solid\">\n<ul class=\"m-0!\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Facebook<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>X<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Pinterest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Email<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-share-this-article\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nShare this article\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\"><span class=\"ml-1 inline-flex h-5 px-2 shrink-0 items-center justify-center self-center overflow-hidden whitespace-nowrap rounded-[10px] bg-primary-500 text-[11px] leading-none font-ui-heading font-semibold text-white\">0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-join-the-conversation\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nJoin the conversation\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<p>Follow us<\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-add-us-as-a-preferred-source-on-google\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nAdd us as a preferred source on Google\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-subscribe-to-our-newsletter\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-2c70772e-c2ee-11f1-8fe1-a39c4e7e98c0\">Tadej Poga\u010dar\u2019s Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a challenge came to a crashing halt when the Slovenian appeared to clip an object on the road that sent him reeling to his right into the peloton. He flew over his handlebars, landed heavily, and suffered fractures of his collarbone and spine, plus a concussion, ending his 2026 season early. The incident was unusual. Not only was the Slovenian on a wide, innocuous road, but it was the first time in 46 stage races that he\u2019d abandoned. Pogacar\u2019s previous race-ending crash came at Li\u00e8ge\u2013Bastogne\u2013Li\u00e8ge in 2023, when he fractured his wrist.<\/p>\n<p>Less unusual is an unusual fact: \u201cThere are significantly more crashes on the right side than on the left. We can\u2019t explain why. We\u2019re looking into it.\u201d The words of Raaghib Fredericks, UAE Team Emirates-XRG doctor, at this July\u2019s Science &amp; Cycling conference in Barcelona, where the South African presented his provisional findings on the injury and illness rates at the world\u2019s leading cycling team for seasons 2019 to 2021. That crash bias was a footnote to a fascinating hour that revealed why staying injury- and illness-free is the most significant (albeit unsexy) performance boost a team and its riders can enjoy\u2026<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"paucity-of-research-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Paucity of research<\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-2c707828-c2ee-11f1-8c81-ad47c5de30c2-0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cWhat do we currently know about injuries and illness at WorldTour level?\u201d asks Fredericks. \u201cVery little. There have been nominal studies in this area, including terrific research entitled \u2018<u>Beyond the finish line\u2019<\/u> by a team led by Dr Thomas Fallon [of Queen\u2019s University Belfast]. We set out to add to Fallon\u2019s work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Fredericks\u2019 research covered 30 male cyclists and analysed injury and illness data from the team\u2019s cloud-based medical database, which was updated weekly. He could then compare those rates against training data from TrainingPeaks, the idea being that by pinning down injury and illness rates against factors like training loads, UAE Team Emirates-XRG could integrate protocols and best practice in search of, if not preventing and eliminating, at least ameliorating the impact of injuries and illness, which are significant. \u201cOver the three seasons analysed, we lost 1,920 racing and training days to illness and injury,\u201d he says. \u201cThat equates to around two lost days per rider each month.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">That absence varied from one day to months, as in the case of Diego Ulissi, who the team announced in mid-December 2020 would stop training and racing immediately after an irregular heartbeat led to a myocarditis diagnosis. The Italian was given the green light to resume training the following February, before racing again at mid-April\u2019s GP Miguel Indurain. The 37-year-old now races for XDS Astana after making the switch for the 2025 season.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">From a team\u2019s perspective, a broken rider is like a broken wheel: useless. His or her impact is felt by the team, with schedules changed and, depending on the rider, chances of victory diminished. The competitive impact is felt commercially, framed against cycling\u2019s fragile business model. Losing your strongest riders equals fewer wins equals less media exposure equals a struggle to attract sponsors\u2026 It\u2019s a domino effect of doom.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-29b25886-c2fd-11f1-9f17-8fcd5601e4a4\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-1024-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-1024-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-1024-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-1024-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Adam Yates was one of four UAE Team Emirates-XRG riders to abandon this year&#8217;s Giro d&#8217;Italia <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-29b25912-c2fd-11f1-b155-d7068d9799d0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Injury has a real and quantifiable impact on a rider\u2019s transfer or contract value, too. The European Sport Management Quarterly, Journal of Sports Economics and Applied Economics have all featured research that shows injury can impact market valuation by 10 to 20%, with that rising to over 30% for a serious or recurrent injury. It\u2019s worse news for older riders, as this can approach 50% for those on the wrong side of 28 years old. Naturally, this drop in market value limits an athlete\u2019s salary and earning potential.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Egan Bernal is a clear example. In 2019, the Colombian won the Tour de France at the age of 22. In January 2022, he signed a lucrative five-year extension with Ineos reportedly worth \u20ac2.5 million to \u20ac3.0 million annually. Later that month, he suffered over 20 broken bones, a punctured lung and chest trauma after hitting a parked bus at 62km\/hr. Since then, though he\u2019s shown glimpses of his past form, he\u2019s not been the same rider. His contract with Netcompany Ineos runs out at the end of this year and, at the time of writing, though there are rumours of either another extension or a move to Movistar, his future remains unclear. What is clear is that his likely next deal will see a salary drop to \u20ac2 million or less. Still healthy, but a sizeable percentage drop.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"the-injury-amphitheatre-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The injury amphitheatre <\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-2c707918-c2ee-11f1-b73c-43c94ee60d58\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Time off the bike has clear consequences, so the aims are prevention (the ideal) and limitation (the reality). In Fredericks\u2019 analysis, those 1,920 lost days were broken down into 140 incidences of injury and 134 incidences of illness.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">When it comes to injury, 68% occurred during racing (compared to 32% in training). That\u2019s significant and even more so when you account for annual workload. While training volume nestles between 18,000 and 23,000km, racing is around 8,500km. All in all, a rider is four times more likely to crash during a race than training.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cAbout 80% of these injuries are classified as acute [happen suddenly], of which 88% were a consequence of a crash,\u201d Fredericks adds. That includes the infamous opening stage team time trial of the 2019 Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a when a paddling pool split, leaked water onto the road and took down six of their riders.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">No one was seriously injured, and all riders started the next day. \u201cThat was a positive,\u201d says Fredericks. \u201cBut I\u2019m just glad I wasn\u2019t the doctor at that race. He had to dress and undress the injured six riders for up to 12 days, adding an extra two-and-a-half hours to his day. Injury has significant implications for the staff as well as the riders.\u201d (The doctor clearly did a fine job. This was the Grand Tour where Poga\u010dar introduced himself to the world, finishing third and winning three stages in the process.)<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Jayco AlUla doctor Luca Pollastre agrees that traumatic injuries are the most common. \u201cWhile the frequency of crashes is relatively stable, the severity of those crashes is rising, which can mean weeks or even months before an athlete can return to competition,\u201d he says. \u201cWe feel this is due to the aggressive nature of racing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">This was brought home recently at the UCI World Championships in Montreal, Canada, when Liv AlUla Jayco rider Caroline Andersson, competing in the road race for Sweden, was involved in a major crash on a downhill stretch of the finishing circuit that took down 15 riders. The 25-year-old suffered four brain bleeds, two facial fractures, a broken collarbone and a broken pelvis. She is recovering and in a stable condition, but her 2026 season is over.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The most common trauma in Fredericks\u2019 analysis was what he euphemistically termed \u2018superficial\u2019, like the road rash Poga\u010dar endured at La Vuelta. Then came damage to bones \u2013 fractures or breaks \u2013 which shines a spotlight on bone health, a hot topic in professional cycling. Fredericks revealed that a significant number of riders [over 50%] had low bone mineral density, and quite a few of them are actually osteoporotic. Treatment includes bone-strengthening medication, calcium and vitamin D supplementation, and weight-bearing exercise.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-29b2599e-c2fd-11f1-bcee-57bf73d7954b\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Just over two-thirds of all injuries are caused during racing, Fredericks&#8217; research found <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Luc Claessen\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-29b25a70-c2fd-11f1-a5bb-717fc918ea76\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cBut that raises an important quandary,\u201d says Fredericks. \u201cWe want to protect the riders from the risk of a fracture, but will they be interested in running, which we know helps? And will they be happier for more weights if it adds weight? It\u2019s tricky.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Damage to muscles, tendons and cartilage followed, while in Fallon\u2019s research, hand and head injuries, particularly fractures and concussions, were common, with head injuries the most prevalent for female riders.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Overuse injuries are far less common, says Fredericks, with the majority related to patellar tendinopathy and Achilles tendinopathy, which are the result of the repetitive load of thousands of pedal strokes outpacing the tendons\u2019 ability to recover and adapt.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Arguably, their rarity is credit to bike-fitters, like Phil Cavell, co-founder of Cyclefit in London, who have worked with many professional riders, including the Lidl-Trek team. Cavell\u2019s also an author, whose most recent book, The Cycling Addiction, has just come out.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cTo be fair, bike-fitters are only one reference point WorldTour riders are triangulating off,\u201d says Cavell. \u201cThere\u2019s also advice from teams and, surprise, surprise, WorldTour trends. Sometimes riders make decisions not wholly based on bike-fit and physio-led opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Cavell says there are hotspots when working with WorldTour riders, most notably when myriad factors change, like the bike, shoes, saddle and pedals, which can happen if a team\u2019s sponsors change or a rider moves. \u201cThat\u2019s when team camps become dawn to dusk affairs,\u201d he says. \u201cThere may be adaptations at the foot, knee, hip, back\u2026 These adaptations may express over time, so our job is to predict what\u2019s going to happen and put in place mediations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\"><strong>READ: Pedal performance: How Matteo Jorgenson re-learnt the art of pedalling<\/strong><\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cI remember working with a very good rider, recently retired, who started a particular Grand Tour with a 17cm drop from saddle to bars,\u201d he adds. \u201cIt worked okay for eight or nine days until it didn\u2019t. We were brought in to revise his drop with a bit more insight and data \u2013 saddle pressure-mapping, motion-capture. He could see his issues reflected in our findings.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"impact-of-illness-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Impact of illness<\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-2c707a26-c2ee-11f1-9eb4-07942c7cb216\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Fredericks\u2019 research also focused on the impact of illness, explicitly seen in February 2020 when the UAE Tour was abandoned with two stages remaining due to an outbreak of Covid-19 at the UAE Team Emirates\u2019 hotel in Abu Dhabi. The Emirati team and three other squads were quarantined for two weeks while health authorities carried out tests. Soon after, the team\u2019s lead sprinter, Fernando Gaviria, confirmed that he had contracted coronavirus.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Of the 134 incidences of illness between 2019 and 2021, Fredericks says that 41% of these occurred during racing, with the remaining 59% either in training or between races. \u201cIn that time, we had 11 recorded cases of COVID, resulting in a loss of 137 race days [out of 659 lost to illness as a whole]. That\u2019s significant and came down to the minimum 14-day isolation period, plus a graduated return to racing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Obviously other teams suffered. Take Simon Yates at Jayco AlUla, who tested positive after stage seven of the 2020 Giro d\u2019Italia, held in October, and withdrew. The Australian outfit\u2019s staff members also tested positive at both the Giro and late August\u2019s Tour de France. The pandemic\u2019s impact is still felt by Jayco, albeit positively.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cWe have systems in place that stem from that experience,\u201d says Pollastre. \u201cThese range from the use of face masks to strategic room allocation for athletes and the careful assignment of therapists to individual riders, among many other measures.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-29b25afc-c2fd-11f1-aab8-05061ea9756a\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">After previously struggling with illness, Jonas Vingegaard often wears a face mask as a precautionary measure, such as at the 2026 Tour de France <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-29b25b74-c2fd-11f1-b4bb-5f570b2884de\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cAt the beginning of each season, we strongly recommend influenza vaccination for both staff and athletes,\u201d he continues. \u201cDuring the season, the team doctors hold a weekly call to review the health status of all riders. Relevant information is then shared with coaches and sports directors to support performance-related decisions. Understanding wearable technology data, training loads and providing continuous education are key components in minimising risk.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Still, despite best practice, it\u2019s hard to avoid SAD (Seasonal Afflicted Danger). \u201cWe always expect more issues at the start of the season due to the weather and changes in environment, moving from Australia to the Middle East and then into the European season,\u201d adds Pollastre. \u201cTowards the end of the year, there can also be a spike in illness due to the cumulative fatigue of the season. Although we haven\u2019t analysed it over seasons, at our team I believe that a loss of approximately 10% of training and racing days per rider per year is a realistic average.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Pollastre says that upper respiratory infections are the biggest cause of time off the bike, which matches both the data from Fallon and Fredericks\u2019 research: \u201cOf the 134 incidence of illness, 60 were respiratory related, like upper respiratory tract infections.\u201d That\u2019s around 45%. Fallon\u2019s study found that racing Grand Tours is associated with a spike, potentially due to \u201cimmunosuppression\u201d through the three-week strain. Load management is one method to reduce the chances of falling ill, but that\u2019s clearly more controllable in training than at a race.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Dermatological issues, like saddle sores, were responsible for 18% of lost days, with gastrointestinal issues close behind \u2013 ideally not too close behind \u2013 at 17%. Interestingly, in Fallon\u2019s research, female athletes report a higher \u2018burden\u2019 of gastrointestinal symptoms than the males, although the reasons are not fully understood. <u>A 2017 study<\/u> suggested that this disparity could be down to hormonal changes affecting gut motility and sensitivity.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"prevention-is-tricky-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Prevention is\u2026 tricky<\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-2c707b16-c2ee-11f1-80ad-f925e81ab9d6\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Looking ahead, Fredericks is planning to pore over more recent data in search of solutions. What those solutions are is highlighted by Fallon\u2019s research, which ranges from the use of protective clothing, such as Dyneema-enhanced jerseys to help reduce the number of abrasion-type injuries to neck-strengthening exercises, particularly for female riders, to minimise linear and rotational acceleration of the head during a crash.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cCycling should also embrace technological advances in the use of head-impact accelerometers that feedback to the race doctor\u2019s car to improve care and assessment,\u201d the paper reads.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The problem is that the root causes of injuries and illnesses are multifactorial and somewhat speculative, albeit speculation stemming from education. Cavell gives the example of those traumatic injuries. \u201cDoes the trend of a more forward centre-of-mass with narrower bars mean less reaction time if something does happen? And what about shorter cranks? They allow a rider to maintain a deeper drop without blocking the hip, but does this have an effect?\u201d As for the right-side crashing bias mentioned earlier, \u201cThat almost certainly has to be correlation, not causation, unless a parcours is especially right-corner-focused.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Ultimately, for all the sophistication of modern professional cycling, staying healthy may still be its simplest performance advantage. Crashes remain an unavoidable hazard, while illness and overuse quietly erode seasons too. Fredericks\u2019 research shows how much time is lost, but also where gains might come from: better data, smarter load management and preventative care. The marginal gain could be staying upright.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block mb-5\" id=\"articleTag\" data-component-name=\"PostArticleLinks\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"post-article-links\">\n<div class=\"border-b border-b-black border-solid py-2.5 text-black font-bold uppercase\">TOPICS<\/div>\n<nav class=\"py-2.5 flex gap-2.5 flex-wrap\" data-analytics-id=\"article-tag\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-tag\">\n<p>Premium Health<\/p>\n<p>Premium In-Depth Racing<\/p>\n<p>Premium Performance<\/p>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"slice-container-authorBio-eTDYKKA6adKpWpGTxmpju9\" class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio-eTDYKKA6adKpWpGTxmpju9 slice-container-authorBio\">\n<div class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio slice-container-authorBio\" id=\"slice-container-authorBio\" data-component-name=\"Slice:AuthorBio\">\n<div class=\"author author__default-layout author--separator author--collapsible\" data-author-bio-max-height=\"250\" data-author-bio-read-more=\"Read more\" data-author-bio-read-less=\"Read less\">\n<div class=\"author__header\">\n<div class=\"author__heading\">\n<div class=\"author__name\">\n<p>James Witts<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"relative max-w-[1070px] viafoura-twig-component mt-6 mx-4 lg:mx-0\" data-component-name=\"Viafoura:Comments\" data-nosnippet data-community-guidelines-text=\"&lt;p class=&apos;vfcustom-community-guidelines&apos;&gt;Please follow our &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/about\/#section-community-guidelines&quot; 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Experts examined three years of UAE Team Emirates-XRG data to find out<\/h1>\n<div class=\"kiosq-member-label\" data-component-name=\"Article:Hero:KiosqPaywallLabels\"><span class=\"kiosq-member-label-text\"><br \/>\nMEMBER EXCLUSIVE<br \/>\n<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"byline-social\">\n<div class=\"vds-byline-block flex flex-row flex-nowrap my-1.5 gap-2 text-left items-start justify-center mx-auto max-sm:text-center max-sm:items-center\" data-component-name=\"Article:BylineBlock\">\n<p>Features<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-auto vds-simple-byline\"><span class=\"inline-block vds-author\"><br \/>\nBy<br \/>\nJames Witts <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex gap-1 vds-byline-with-avatar__meta max-sm:justify-center\"><span class=\"vds-date block font-normal tracking-normal normal-case text-xs\"><br \/>\nPublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-10-09T14:23:20Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n9 October 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">A broken rider is like a broken wheel: useless, so in a sport obsessed with marginal gains, staying injury-free might be the biggest advantage of all. Drawing on medical research by UAE Team Emirates-XRG, James Witts analyses the stark cost of crashes, illness and lost training days<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"text-gray-700 flex items-center mx-0 my-5 p-0 justify-center text-center\" id=\"affiliate-disclaimer\" data-component-name=\"AffiliateDisclaimer\" data-hawk-message=\"Affiliate disclaimer removed because hawk deemed there are no affiliate links on this page\">\n<p class=\"text-[color:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--text-color,inherit)] mb-2 text-[length:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--font-size,0.75rem)] leading-[18px] md:text-[13px] [&amp;&gt;a]:text-inherit [&amp;&gt;a]:underline\">\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here\u2019s how it works.\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-widget-type=\"contentparsed\" id=\"content\" class=\"clear-both widget widget-contentparsed widget-content widget-contentparsed-content widget-content-parsed widget-content-parsed-content_document \">\n<div class=\"wcp-item-content\">\n<section class=\"content-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"box less-space hero-image-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"mb-0\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-2000-80.png.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-1920-80.png.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-1600-80.png.webp 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-1440-80.png.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-1280-80.png.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-1200-80.png.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-1024-80.png.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-970-80.png.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-750-80.png.webp 750w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-650-80.png.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-480-80.png.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-320-80.png.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><figcaption class=\"font-article-copy text-(--image--text--color) font-article-copy mt-2\"><span class=\"caption-text font-article-copy\">UAE Team Emirates-XRG&#8217;s medical team analysed three seasons&#8217; worth of data in a bid to reduce the number of days lost to injury and illness<\/span><span class=\"credit font-article-copy\">(Image credit: Szymon Gruchalski\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"text-copy bodyCopy auto paywall-locker\">\n<div data-analytics-id=\"utility-bar\" id=\"utility-bar\" class=\"font-ui-heading flex justify-between items-center py-2 border-t border-b border-gray-300 border-solid mb-5 mx-auto\" data-component-name=\"UtilityBar\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"utility-bar\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div data-component-name=\"Social:Dropdown\" role=\"menu\" id=\"utilitybar__dropdown--share\" aria-labelledby=\"utilitybar__button--share\" class=\"absolute left-0 top-full w-44 bg-white rounded-md shadow-md border border-neutral-200 z-[9996] list-none m-0 py-2 px-3 border-solid\">\n<ul class=\"m-0!\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Facebook<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>X<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Pinterest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Email<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-share-this-article\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nShare this article\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\"><span class=\"ml-1 inline-flex h-5 px-2 shrink-0 items-center justify-center self-center overflow-hidden whitespace-nowrap rounded-[10px] bg-primary-500 text-[11px] leading-none font-ui-heading font-semibold text-white\">0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-join-the-conversation\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nJoin the conversation\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<p>Follow us<\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-add-us-as-a-preferred-source-on-google\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nAdd us as a preferred source on Google\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-subscribe-to-our-newsletter\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-2c70772e-c2ee-11f1-8fe1-a39c4e7e98c0\">Tadej Poga\u010dar\u2019s Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a challenge came to a crashing halt when the Slovenian appeared to clip an object on the road that sent him reeling to his right into the peloton. He flew over his handlebars, landed heavily, and suffered fractures of his collarbone and spine, plus a concussion, ending his 2026 season early. The incident was unusual. Not only was the Slovenian on a wide, innocuous road, but it was the first time in 46 stage races that he\u2019d abandoned. Pogacar\u2019s previous race-ending crash came at Li\u00e8ge\u2013Bastogne\u2013Li\u00e8ge in 2023, when he fractured his wrist.<\/p>\n<p>Less unusual is an unusual fact: \u201cThere are significantly more crashes on the right side than on the left. We can\u2019t explain why. We\u2019re looking into it.\u201d The words of Raaghib Fredericks, UAE Team Emirates-XRG doctor, at this July\u2019s Science &amp; Cycling conference in Barcelona, where the South African presented his provisional findings on the injury and illness rates at the world\u2019s leading cycling team for seasons 2019 to 2021. That crash bias was a footnote to a fascinating hour that revealed why staying injury- and illness-free is the most significant (albeit unsexy) performance boost a team and its riders can enjoy\u2026<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"paucity-of-research-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Paucity of research<\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-2c707828-c2ee-11f1-8c81-ad47c5de30c2-0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cWhat do we currently know about injuries and illness at WorldTour level?\u201d asks Fredericks. \u201cVery little. There have been nominal studies in this area, including terrific research entitled \u2018<u>Beyond the finish line\u2019<\/u> by a team led by Dr Thomas Fallon [of Queen\u2019s University Belfast]. We set out to add to Fallon\u2019s work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Fredericks\u2019 research covered 30 male cyclists and analysed injury and illness data from the team\u2019s cloud-based medical database, which was updated weekly. He could then compare those rates against training data from TrainingPeaks, the idea being that by pinning down injury and illness rates against factors like training loads, UAE Team Emirates-XRG could integrate protocols and best practice in search of, if not preventing and eliminating, at least ameliorating the impact of injuries and illness, which are significant. \u201cOver the three seasons analysed, we lost 1,920 racing and training days to illness and injury,\u201d he says. \u201cThat equates to around two lost days per rider each month.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">That absence varied from one day to months, as in the case of Diego Ulissi, who the team announced in mid-December 2020 would stop training and racing immediately after an irregular heartbeat led to a myocarditis diagnosis. The Italian was given the green light to resume training the following February, before racing again at mid-April\u2019s GP Miguel Indurain. The 37-year-old now races for XDS Astana after making the switch for the 2025 season.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">From a team\u2019s perspective, a broken rider is like a broken wheel: useless. His or her impact is felt by the team, with schedules changed and, depending on the rider, chances of victory diminished. The competitive impact is felt commercially, framed against cycling\u2019s fragile business model. Losing your strongest riders equals fewer wins equals less media exposure equals a struggle to attract sponsors\u2026 It\u2019s a domino effect of doom.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-29b25886-c2fd-11f1-9f17-8fcd5601e4a4\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-1024-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-1024-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-1024-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-1024-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Adam Yates was one of four UAE Team Emirates-XRG riders to abandon this year&#8217;s Giro d&#8217;Italia <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-29b25912-c2fd-11f1-b155-d7068d9799d0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Injury has a real and quantifiable impact on a rider\u2019s transfer or contract value, too. The European Sport Management Quarterly, Journal of Sports Economics and Applied Economics have all featured research that shows injury can impact market valuation by 10 to 20%, with that rising to over 30% for a serious or recurrent injury. It\u2019s worse news for older riders, as this can approach 50% for those on the wrong side of 28 years old. Naturally, this drop in market value limits an athlete\u2019s salary and earning potential.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Egan Bernal is a clear example. In 2019, the Colombian won the Tour de France at the age of 22. In January 2022, he signed a lucrative five-year extension with Ineos reportedly worth \u20ac2.5 million to \u20ac3.0 million annually. Later that month, he suffered over 20 broken bones, a punctured lung and chest trauma after hitting a parked bus at 62km\/hr. Since then, though he\u2019s shown glimpses of his past form, he\u2019s not been the same rider. His contract with Netcompany Ineos runs out at the end of this year and, at the time of writing, though there are rumours of either another extension or a move to Movistar, his future remains unclear. What is clear is that his likely next deal will see a salary drop to \u20ac2 million or less. Still healthy, but a sizeable percentage drop.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"the-injury-amphitheatre-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The injury amphitheatre <\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-2c707918-c2ee-11f1-b73c-43c94ee60d58\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Time off the bike has clear consequences, so the aims are prevention (the ideal) and limitation (the reality). In Fredericks\u2019 analysis, those 1,920 lost days were broken down into 140 incidences of injury and 134 incidences of illness.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">When it comes to injury, 68% occurred during racing (compared to 32% in training). That\u2019s significant and even more so when you account for annual workload. While training volume nestles between 18,000 and 23,000km, racing is around 8,500km. All in all, a rider is four times more likely to crash during a race than training.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cAbout 80% of these injuries are classified as acute [happen suddenly], of which 88% were a consequence of a crash,\u201d Fredericks adds. That includes the infamous opening stage team time trial of the 2019 Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a when a paddling pool split, leaked water onto the road and took down six of their riders.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">No one was seriously injured, and all riders started the next day. \u201cThat was a positive,\u201d says Fredericks. \u201cBut I\u2019m just glad I wasn\u2019t the doctor at that race. He had to dress and undress the injured six riders for up to 12 days, adding an extra two-and-a-half hours to his day. Injury has significant implications for the staff as well as the riders.\u201d (The doctor clearly did a fine job. This was the Grand Tour where Poga\u010dar introduced himself to the world, finishing third and winning three stages in the process.)<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Jayco AlUla doctor Luca Pollastre agrees that traumatic injuries are the most common. \u201cWhile the frequency of crashes is relatively stable, the severity of those crashes is rising, which can mean weeks or even months before an athlete can return to competition,\u201d he says. \u201cWe feel this is due to the aggressive nature of racing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">This was brought home recently at the UCI World Championships in Montreal, Canada, when Liv AlUla Jayco rider Caroline Andersson, competing in the road race for Sweden, was involved in a major crash on a downhill stretch of the finishing circuit that took down 15 riders. The 25-year-old suffered four brain bleeds, two facial fractures, a broken collarbone and a broken pelvis. She is recovering and in a stable condition, but her 2026 season is over.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The most common trauma in Fredericks\u2019 analysis was what he euphemistically termed \u2018superficial\u2019, like the road rash Poga\u010dar endured at La Vuelta. Then came damage to bones \u2013 fractures or breaks \u2013 which shines a spotlight on bone health, a hot topic in professional cycling. Fredericks revealed that a significant number of riders [over 50%] had low bone mineral density, and quite a few of them are actually osteoporotic. Treatment includes bone-strengthening medication, calcium and vitamin D supplementation, and weight-bearing exercise.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-29b2599e-c2fd-11f1-bcee-57bf73d7954b\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Just over two-thirds of all injuries are caused during racing, Fredericks&#8217; research found <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Luc Claessen\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-29b25a70-c2fd-11f1-a5bb-717fc918ea76\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cBut that raises an important quandary,\u201d says Fredericks. \u201cWe want to protect the riders from the risk of a fracture, but will they be interested in running, which we know helps? And will they be happier for more weights if it adds weight? It\u2019s tricky.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Damage to muscles, tendons and cartilage followed, while in Fallon\u2019s research, hand and head injuries, particularly fractures and concussions, were common, with head injuries the most prevalent for female riders.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Overuse injuries are far less common, says Fredericks, with the majority related to patellar tendinopathy and Achilles tendinopathy, which are the result of the repetitive load of thousands of pedal strokes outpacing the tendons\u2019 ability to recover and adapt.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Arguably, their rarity is credit to bike-fitters, like Phil Cavell, co-founder of Cyclefit in London, who have worked with many professional riders, including the Lidl-Trek team. Cavell\u2019s also an author, whose most recent book, The Cycling Addiction, has just come out.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cTo be fair, bike-fitters are only one reference point WorldTour riders are triangulating off,\u201d says Cavell. \u201cThere\u2019s also advice from teams and, surprise, surprise, WorldTour trends. Sometimes riders make decisions not wholly based on bike-fit and physio-led opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Cavell says there are hotspots when working with WorldTour riders, most notably when myriad factors change, like the bike, shoes, saddle and pedals, which can happen if a team\u2019s sponsors change or a rider moves. \u201cThat\u2019s when team camps become dawn to dusk affairs,\u201d he says. \u201cThere may be adaptations at the foot, knee, hip, back\u2026 These adaptations may express over time, so our job is to predict what\u2019s going to happen and put in place mediations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\"><strong>READ: Pedal performance: How Matteo Jorgenson re-learnt the art of pedalling<\/strong><\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cI remember working with a very good rider, recently retired, who started a particular Grand Tour with a 17cm drop from saddle to bars,\u201d he adds. \u201cIt worked okay for eight or nine days until it didn\u2019t. We were brought in to revise his drop with a bit more insight and data \u2013 saddle pressure-mapping, motion-capture. He could see his issues reflected in our findings.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"impact-of-illness-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Impact of illness<\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-2c707a26-c2ee-11f1-9eb4-07942c7cb216\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Fredericks\u2019 research also focused on the impact of illness, explicitly seen in February 2020 when the UAE Tour was abandoned with two stages remaining due to an outbreak of Covid-19 at the UAE Team Emirates\u2019 hotel in Abu Dhabi. The Emirati team and three other squads were quarantined for two weeks while health authorities carried out tests. Soon after, the team\u2019s lead sprinter, Fernando Gaviria, confirmed that he had contracted coronavirus.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Of the 134 incidences of illness between 2019 and 2021, Fredericks says that 41% of these occurred during racing, with the remaining 59% either in training or between races. \u201cIn that time, we had 11 recorded cases of COVID, resulting in a loss of 137 race days [out of 659 lost to illness as a whole]. That\u2019s significant and came down to the minimum 14-day isolation period, plus a graduated return to racing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Obviously other teams suffered. Take Simon Yates at Jayco AlUla, who tested positive after stage seven of the 2020 Giro d\u2019Italia, held in October, and withdrew. The Australian outfit\u2019s staff members also tested positive at both the Giro and late August\u2019s Tour de France. The pandemic\u2019s impact is still felt by Jayco, albeit positively.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cWe have systems in place that stem from that experience,\u201d says Pollastre. \u201cThese range from the use of face masks to strategic room allocation for athletes and the careful assignment of therapists to individual riders, among many other measures.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-29b25afc-c2fd-11f1-aab8-05061ea9756a\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">After previously struggling with illness, Jonas Vingegaard often wears a face mask as a precautionary measure, such as at the 2026 Tour de France <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-29b25b74-c2fd-11f1-b4bb-5f570b2884de\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cAt the beginning of each season, we strongly recommend influenza vaccination for both staff and athletes,\u201d he continues. \u201cDuring the season, the team doctors hold a weekly call to review the health status of all riders. Relevant information is then shared with coaches and sports directors to support performance-related decisions. Understanding wearable technology data, training loads and providing continuous education are key components in minimising risk.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Still, despite best practice, it\u2019s hard to avoid SAD (Seasonal Afflicted Danger). \u201cWe always expect more issues at the start of the season due to the weather and changes in environment, moving from Australia to the Middle East and then into the European season,\u201d adds Pollastre. \u201cTowards the end of the year, there can also be a spike in illness due to the cumulative fatigue of the season. Although we haven\u2019t analysed it over seasons, at our team I believe that a loss of approximately 10% of training and racing days per rider per year is a realistic average.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Pollastre says that upper respiratory infections are the biggest cause of time off the bike, which matches both the data from Fallon and Fredericks\u2019 research: \u201cOf the 134 incidence of illness, 60 were respiratory related, like upper respiratory tract infections.\u201d That\u2019s around 45%. Fallon\u2019s study found that racing Grand Tours is associated with a spike, potentially due to \u201cimmunosuppression\u201d through the three-week strain. Load management is one method to reduce the chances of falling ill, but that\u2019s clearly more controllable in training than at a race.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Dermatological issues, like saddle sores, were responsible for 18% of lost days, with gastrointestinal issues close behind \u2013 ideally not too close behind \u2013 at 17%. Interestingly, in Fallon\u2019s research, female athletes report a higher \u2018burden\u2019 of gastrointestinal symptoms than the males, although the reasons are not fully understood. <u>A 2017 study<\/u> suggested that this disparity could be down to hormonal changes affecting gut motility and sensitivity.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"prevention-is-tricky-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Prevention is\u2026 tricky<\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-2c707b16-c2ee-11f1-80ad-f925e81ab9d6\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Looking ahead, Fredericks is planning to pore over more recent data in search of solutions. What those solutions are is highlighted by Fallon\u2019s research, which ranges from the use of protective clothing, such as Dyneema-enhanced jerseys to help reduce the number of abrasion-type injuries to neck-strengthening exercises, particularly for female riders, to minimise linear and rotational acceleration of the head during a crash.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cCycling should also embrace technological advances in the use of head-impact accelerometers that feedback to the race doctor\u2019s car to improve care and assessment,\u201d the paper reads.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The problem is that the root causes of injuries and illnesses are multifactorial and somewhat speculative, albeit speculation stemming from education. Cavell gives the example of those traumatic injuries. \u201cDoes the trend of a more forward centre-of-mass with narrower bars mean less reaction time if something does happen? And what about shorter cranks? They allow a rider to maintain a deeper drop without blocking the hip, but does this have an effect?\u201d As for the right-side crashing bias mentioned earlier, \u201cThat almost certainly has to be correlation, not causation, unless a parcours is especially right-corner-focused.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Ultimately, for all the sophistication of modern professional cycling, staying healthy may still be its simplest performance advantage. Crashes remain an unavoidable hazard, while illness and overuse quietly erode seasons too. Fredericks\u2019 research shows how much time is lost, but also where gains might come from: better data, smarter load management and preventative care. The marginal gain could be staying upright.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block mb-5\" id=\"articleTag\" data-component-name=\"PostArticleLinks\" data-nosnippet data-mrf-recirculation=\"post-article-links\">\n<div class=\"border-b border-b-black border-solid py-2.5 text-black font-bold uppercase\">TOPICS<\/div>\n<nav class=\"py-2.5 flex gap-2.5 flex-wrap\" data-analytics-id=\"article-tag\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-tag\">\n<p>Premium Health<\/p>\n<p>Premium In-Depth Racing<\/p>\n<p>Premium Performance<\/p>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"slice-container-authorBio-eTDYKKA6adKpWpGTxmpju9\" class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio-eTDYKKA6adKpWpGTxmpju9 slice-container-authorBio\">\n<div class=\"slice-container slice-author-bio authorBio slice-container-authorBio\" id=\"slice-container-authorBio\" data-component-name=\"Slice:AuthorBio\">\n<div class=\"author author__default-layout author--separator author--collapsible\" data-author-bio-max-height=\"250\" data-author-bio-read-more=\"Read more\" data-author-bio-read-less=\"Read less\">\n<div class=\"author__header\">\n<div class=\"author__heading\">\n<div class=\"author__name\">\n<p>James Witts<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"relative max-w-[1070px] viafoura-twig-component mt-6 mx-4 lg:mx-0\" data-component-name=\"Viafoura:Comments\" data-nosnippet data-community-guidelines-text=\"&lt;p class=&apos;vfcustom-community-guidelines&apos;&gt;Please follow our &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/about\/#section-community-guidelines&quot; 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Experts examined three years of UAE Team Emirates-XRG data to find out<\/h1>\n<div class=\"kiosq-member-label\" data-component-name=\"Article:Hero:KiosqPaywallLabels\"><span class=\"kiosq-member-label-text\"><br \/>\nMEMBER EXCLUSIVE<br \/>\n<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"byline-social\">\n<div class=\"vds-byline-block flex flex-row flex-nowrap my-1.5 gap-2 text-left items-start justify-center mx-auto max-sm:text-center max-sm:items-center\" data-component-name=\"Article:BylineBlock\">\n<p>Features<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-auto vds-simple-byline\"><span class=\"inline-block vds-author\"><br \/>\nBy<br \/>\nJames Witts <\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"flex gap-1 vds-byline-with-avatar__meta max-sm:justify-center\"><span class=\"vds-date block font-normal tracking-normal normal-case text-xs\"><br \/>\nPublished<br \/>\n<time data-component-name=\"UI:DateTime\" datetime=\"2026-10-09T14:23:20Z\" class=\"relative-date\"><br \/>\n9 October 2026<br \/>\n<\/time><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"strapline\">A broken rider is like a broken wheel: useless, so in a sport obsessed with marginal gains, staying injury-free might be the biggest advantage of all. Drawing on medical research by UAE Team Emirates-XRG, James Witts analyses the stark cost of crashes, illness and lost training days<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"text-gray-700 flex items-center mx-0 my-5 p-0 justify-center text-center\" id=\"affiliate-disclaimer\" data-component-name=\"AffiliateDisclaimer\" data-hawk-message=\"Affiliate disclaimer removed because hawk deemed there are no affiliate links on this page\">\n<p class=\"text-[color:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--text-color,inherit)] mb-2 text-[length:var(--affiliate-disclaimer--font-size,0.75rem)] leading-[18px] md:text-[13px] [&amp;&gt;a]:text-inherit [&amp;&gt;a]:underline\">\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here\u2019s how it works.\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"article-body\" class=\"text-copy bodyCopy auto paywall-locker\">\n<div data-analytics-id=\"utility-bar\" id=\"utility-bar\" class=\"font-ui-heading flex justify-between items-center py-2 border-t border-b border-gray-300 border-solid mb-5 mx-auto\" data-component-name=\"UtilityBar\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"utility-bar\">\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div data-component-name=\"Social:Dropdown\" role=\"menu\" id=\"utilitybar__dropdown--share\" aria-labelledby=\"utilitybar__button--share\" class=\"absolute left-0 top-full w-44 bg-white rounded-md shadow-md border border-neutral-200 z-[9996] list-none m-0 py-2 px-3 border-solid\">\n<ul class=\"m-0!\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Facebook<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>X<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Pinterest<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"!p-0 !m-0 list-none border-b border-gray-200 border-solid\">\n<p>Email<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-share-this-article\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nShare this article\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\"><span class=\"ml-1 inline-flex h-5 px-2 shrink-0 items-center justify-center self-center overflow-hidden whitespace-nowrap rounded-[10px] bg-primary-500 text-[11px] leading-none font-ui-heading font-semibold text-white\">0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-join-the-conversation\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nJoin the conversation\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex gap-2 text-[#333] subcontainer\">\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<p>Follow us<\/p>\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-add-us-as-a-preferred-source-on-google\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nAdd us as a preferred source on Google\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"relative tooltip-container\" role=\"tooltip\">\n<div class=\"font-ui-heading max-sm:hidden tooltip absolute left-1\/2 bg-gray-900 text-white text-xs leading-none px-3 py-1.5 rounded-md z-[10001] whitespace-nowrap\" id=\"tooltip-subscribe-to-our-newsletter\" role=\"tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"elk-2c70772e-c2ee-11f1-8fe1-a39c4e7e98c0\">Tadej Poga\u010dar\u2019s Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a challenge came to a crashing halt when the Slovenian appeared to clip an object on the road that sent him reeling to his right into the peloton. He flew over his handlebars, landed heavily, and suffered fractures of his collarbone and spine, plus a concussion, ending his 2026 season early. The incident was unusual. Not only was the Slovenian on a wide, innocuous road, but it was the first time in 46 stage races that he\u2019d abandoned. Pogacar\u2019s previous race-ending crash came at Li\u00e8ge\u2013Bastogne\u2013Li\u00e8ge in 2023, when he fractured his wrist.<\/p>\n<p>Less unusual is an unusual fact: \u201cThere are significantly more crashes on the right side than on the left. We can\u2019t explain why. We\u2019re looking into it.\u201d The words of Raaghib Fredericks, UAE Team Emirates-XRG doctor, at this July\u2019s Science &amp; Cycling conference in Barcelona, where the South African presented his provisional findings on the injury and illness rates at the world\u2019s leading cycling team for seasons 2019 to 2021. That crash bias was a footnote to a fascinating hour that revealed why staying injury- and illness-free is the most significant (albeit unsexy) performance boost a team and its riders can enjoy\u2026<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"paucity-of-research-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Paucity of research<\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-2c707828-c2ee-11f1-8c81-ad47c5de30c2-0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cWhat do we currently know about injuries and illness at WorldTour level?\u201d asks Fredericks. \u201cVery little. There have been nominal studies in this area, including terrific research entitled \u2018<u>Beyond the finish line\u2019<\/u> by a team led by Dr Thomas Fallon [of Queen\u2019s University Belfast]. We set out to add to Fallon\u2019s work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Fredericks\u2019 research covered 30 male cyclists and analysed injury and illness data from the team\u2019s cloud-based medical database, which was updated weekly. He could then compare those rates against training data from TrainingPeaks, the idea being that by pinning down injury and illness rates against factors like training loads, UAE Team Emirates-XRG could integrate protocols and best practice in search of, if not preventing and eliminating, at least ameliorating the impact of injuries and illness, which are significant. \u201cOver the three seasons analysed, we lost 1,920 racing and training days to illness and injury,\u201d he says. \u201cThat equates to around two lost days per rider each month.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">That absence varied from one day to months, as in the case of Diego Ulissi, who the team announced in mid-December 2020 would stop training and racing immediately after an irregular heartbeat led to a myocarditis diagnosis. The Italian was given the green light to resume training the following February, before racing again at mid-April\u2019s GP Miguel Indurain. The 37-year-old now races for XDS Astana after making the switch for the 2025 season.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">From a team\u2019s perspective, a broken rider is like a broken wheel: useless. His or her impact is felt by the team, with schedules changed and, depending on the rider, chances of victory diminished. The competitive impact is felt commercially, framed against cycling\u2019s fragile business model. Losing your strongest riders equals fewer wins equals less media exposure equals a struggle to attract sponsors\u2026 It\u2019s a domino effect of doom.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-29b25886-c2fd-11f1-9f17-8fcd5601e4a4\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-1024-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-1024-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-1024-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-1024-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-1024-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/J2YXPTNTzGdStLHSHp7agY-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Adam Yates was one of four UAE Team Emirates-XRG riders to abandon this year&#8217;s Giro d&#8217;Italia <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-29b25912-c2fd-11f1-b155-d7068d9799d0\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Injury has a real and quantifiable impact on a rider\u2019s transfer or contract value, too. The European Sport Management Quarterly, Journal of Sports Economics and Applied Economics have all featured research that shows injury can impact market valuation by 10 to 20%, with that rising to over 30% for a serious or recurrent injury. It\u2019s worse news for older riders, as this can approach 50% for those on the wrong side of 28 years old. Naturally, this drop in market value limits an athlete\u2019s salary and earning potential.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Egan Bernal is a clear example. In 2019, the Colombian won the Tour de France at the age of 22. In January 2022, he signed a lucrative five-year extension with Ineos reportedly worth \u20ac2.5 million to \u20ac3.0 million annually. Later that month, he suffered over 20 broken bones, a punctured lung and chest trauma after hitting a parked bus at 62km\/hr. Since then, though he\u2019s shown glimpses of his past form, he\u2019s not been the same rider. His contract with Netcompany Ineos runs out at the end of this year and, at the time of writing, though there are rumours of either another extension or a move to Movistar, his future remains unclear. What is clear is that his likely next deal will see a salary drop to \u20ac2 million or less. Still healthy, but a sizeable percentage drop.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"the-injury-amphitheatre-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The injury amphitheatre <\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-2c707918-c2ee-11f1-b73c-43c94ee60d58\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Time off the bike has clear consequences, so the aims are prevention (the ideal) and limitation (the reality). In Fredericks\u2019 analysis, those 1,920 lost days were broken down into 140 incidences of injury and 134 incidences of illness.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">When it comes to injury, 68% occurred during racing (compared to 32% in training). That\u2019s significant and even more so when you account for annual workload. While training volume nestles between 18,000 and 23,000km, racing is around 8,500km. All in all, a rider is four times more likely to crash during a race than training.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cAbout 80% of these injuries are classified as acute [happen suddenly], of which 88% were a consequence of a crash,\u201d Fredericks adds. That includes the infamous opening stage team time trial of the 2019 Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a when a paddling pool split, leaked water onto the road and took down six of their riders.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">No one was seriously injured, and all riders started the next day. \u201cThat was a positive,\u201d says Fredericks. \u201cBut I\u2019m just glad I wasn\u2019t the doctor at that race. He had to dress and undress the injured six riders for up to 12 days, adding an extra two-and-a-half hours to his day. Injury has significant implications for the staff as well as the riders.\u201d (The doctor clearly did a fine job. This was the Grand Tour where Poga\u010dar introduced himself to the world, finishing third and winning three stages in the process.)<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Jayco AlUla doctor Luca Pollastre agrees that traumatic injuries are the most common. \u201cWhile the frequency of crashes is relatively stable, the severity of those crashes is rising, which can mean weeks or even months before an athlete can return to competition,\u201d he says. \u201cWe feel this is due to the aggressive nature of racing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">This was brought home recently at the UCI World Championships in Montreal, Canada, when Liv AlUla Jayco rider Caroline Andersson, competing in the road race for Sweden, was involved in a major crash on a downhill stretch of the finishing circuit that took down 15 riders. The 25-year-old suffered four brain bleeds, two facial fractures, a broken collarbone and a broken pelvis. She is recovering and in a stable condition, but her 2026 season is over.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The most common trauma in Fredericks\u2019 analysis was what he euphemistically termed \u2018superficial\u2019, like the road rash Poga\u010dar endured at La Vuelta. Then came damage to bones \u2013 fractures or breaks \u2013 which shines a spotlight on bone health, a hot topic in professional cycling. Fredericks revealed that a significant number of riders [over 50%] had low bone mineral density, and quite a few of them are actually osteoporotic. Treatment includes bone-strengthening medication, calcium and vitamin D supplementation, and weight-bearing exercise.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-29b2599e-c2fd-11f1-bcee-57bf73d7954b\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/TbkEkUmPRxENd7mHN45veb-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">Just over two-thirds of all injuries are caused during racing, Fredericks&#8217; research found <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Luc Claessen\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-29b25a70-c2fd-11f1-a5bb-717fc918ea76\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cBut that raises an important quandary,\u201d says Fredericks. \u201cWe want to protect the riders from the risk of a fracture, but will they be interested in running, which we know helps? And will they be happier for more weights if it adds weight? It\u2019s tricky.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Damage to muscles, tendons and cartilage followed, while in Fallon\u2019s research, hand and head injuries, particularly fractures and concussions, were common, with head injuries the most prevalent for female riders.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Overuse injuries are far less common, says Fredericks, with the majority related to patellar tendinopathy and Achilles tendinopathy, which are the result of the repetitive load of thousands of pedal strokes outpacing the tendons\u2019 ability to recover and adapt.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Arguably, their rarity is credit to bike-fitters, like Phil Cavell, co-founder of Cyclefit in London, who have worked with many professional riders, including the Lidl-Trek team. Cavell\u2019s also an author, whose most recent book, The Cycling Addiction, has just come out.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cTo be fair, bike-fitters are only one reference point WorldTour riders are triangulating off,\u201d says Cavell. \u201cThere\u2019s also advice from teams and, surprise, surprise, WorldTour trends. Sometimes riders make decisions not wholly based on bike-fit and physio-led opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Cavell says there are hotspots when working with WorldTour riders, most notably when myriad factors change, like the bike, shoes, saddle and pedals, which can happen if a team\u2019s sponsors change or a rider moves. \u201cThat\u2019s when team camps become dawn to dusk affairs,\u201d he says. \u201cThere may be adaptations at the foot, knee, hip, back\u2026 These adaptations may express over time, so our job is to predict what\u2019s going to happen and put in place mediations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\"><strong>READ: Pedal performance: How Matteo Jorgenson re-learnt the art of pedalling<\/strong><\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cI remember working with a very good rider, recently retired, who started a particular Grand Tour with a 17cm drop from saddle to bars,\u201d he adds. \u201cIt worked okay for eight or nine days until it didn\u2019t. We were brought in to revise his drop with a bit more insight and data \u2013 saddle pressure-mapping, motion-capture. He could see his issues reflected in our findings.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"impact-of-illness-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Impact of illness<\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-2c707a26-c2ee-11f1-9eb4-07942c7cb216\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Fredericks\u2019 research also focused on the impact of illness, explicitly seen in February 2020 when the UAE Tour was abandoned with two stages remaining due to an outbreak of Covid-19 at the UAE Team Emirates\u2019 hotel in Abu Dhabi. The Emirati team and three other squads were quarantined for two weeks while health authorities carried out tests. Soon after, the team\u2019s lead sprinter, Fernando Gaviria, confirmed that he had contracted coronavirus.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Of the 134 incidences of illness between 2019 and 2021, Fredericks says that 41% of these occurred during racing, with the remaining 59% either in training or between races. \u201cIn that time, we had 11 recorded cases of COVID, resulting in a loss of 137 race days [out of 659 lost to illness as a whole]. That\u2019s significant and came down to the minimum 14-day isolation period, plus a graduated return to racing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Obviously other teams suffered. Take Simon Yates at Jayco AlUla, who tested positive after stage seven of the 2020 Giro d\u2019Italia, held in October, and withdrew. The Australian outfit\u2019s staff members also tested positive at both the Giro and late August\u2019s Tour de France. The pandemic\u2019s impact is still felt by Jayco, albeit positively.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cWe have systems in place that stem from that experience,\u201d says Pollastre. \u201cThese range from the use of face masks to strategic room allocation for athletes and the careful assignment of therapists to individual riders, among many other measures.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure full-width-layout kiosq-b\" data-bordeaux-image-check id=\"elk-29b25afc-c2fd-11f1-aab8-05061ea9756a\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\">\n<source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-2560-80.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-1920-80.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-1440-80.jpg.webp 1440w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-1280-80.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SNH4YVbKY4dP8ptT6Utx4K-320-80.jpg.webp 320w\" sizes=\"100vw\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\" full-width-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">After previously struggling with illness, Jonas Vingegaard often wears a face mask as a precautionary measure, such as at the 2026 Tour de France <\/span><span class=\"credit\">(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"elk-29b25b74-c2fd-11f1-b4bb-5f570b2884de\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cAt the beginning of each season, we strongly recommend influenza vaccination for both staff and athletes,\u201d he continues. \u201cDuring the season, the team doctors hold a weekly call to review the health status of all riders. Relevant information is then shared with coaches and sports directors to support performance-related decisions. Understanding wearable technology data, training loads and providing continuous education are key components in minimising risk.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Still, despite best practice, it\u2019s hard to avoid SAD (Seasonal Afflicted Danger). \u201cWe always expect more issues at the start of the season due to the weather and changes in environment, moving from Australia to the Middle East and then into the European season,\u201d adds Pollastre. \u201cTowards the end of the year, there can also be a spike in illness due to the cumulative fatigue of the season. Although we haven\u2019t analysed it over seasons, at our team I believe that a loss of approximately 10% of training and racing days per rider per year is a realistic average.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Pollastre says that upper respiratory infections are the biggest cause of time off the bike, which matches both the data from Fallon and Fredericks\u2019 research: \u201cOf the 134 incidence of illness, 60 were respiratory related, like upper respiratory tract infections.\u201d That\u2019s around 45%. Fallon\u2019s study found that racing Grand Tours is associated with a spike, potentially due to \u201cimmunosuppression\u201d through the three-week strain. Load management is one method to reduce the chances of falling ill, but that\u2019s clearly more controllable in training than at a race.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Dermatological issues, like saddle sores, were responsible for 18% of lost days, with gastrointestinal issues close behind \u2013 ideally not too close behind \u2013 at 17%. Interestingly, in Fallon\u2019s research, female athletes report a higher \u2018burden\u2019 of gastrointestinal symptoms than the males, although the reasons are not fully understood. <u>A 2017 study<\/u> suggested that this disparity could be down to hormonal changes affecting gut motility and sensitivity.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"prevention-is-tricky-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Prevention is\u2026 tricky<\/h3>\n<p id=\"elk-2c707b16-c2ee-11f1-80ad-f925e81ab9d6\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Looking ahead, Fredericks is planning to pore over more recent data in search of solutions. What those solutions are is highlighted by Fallon\u2019s research, which ranges from the use of protective clothing, such as Dyneema-enhanced jerseys to help reduce the number of abrasion-type injuries to neck-strengthening exercises, particularly for female riders, to minimise linear and rotational acceleration of the head during a crash.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">\u201cCycling should also embrace technological advances in the use of head-impact accelerometers that feedback to the race doctor\u2019s car to improve care and assessment,\u201d the paper reads.<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">The problem is that the root causes of injuries and illnesses are multifactorial and somewhat speculative, albeit speculation stemming from education. Cavell gives the example of those traumatic injuries. \u201cDoes the trend of a more forward centre-of-mass with narrower bars mean less reaction time if something does happen? And what about shorter cranks? They allow a rider to maintain a deeper drop without blocking the hip, but does this have an effect?\u201d As for the right-side crashing bias mentioned earlier, \u201cThat almost certainly has to be correlation, not causation, unless a parcours is especially right-corner-focused.\u201d<\/p>\n<p aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"kiosq-b\">Ultimately, for all the sophistication of modern professional cycling, staying healthy may still be its simplest performance advantage. Crashes remain an unavoidable hazard, while illness and overuse quietly erode seasons too. Fredericks\u2019 research shows how much time is lost, but also where gains might come from: better data, smarter load management and preventative care. The marginal gain could be staying upright.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.cyclingnews.com\/pro-cycling\/safety\/can-cyclists-actually-avoid-injuries-and-illness-experts-examined-three-years-of-uae-team-emirates-xrg-data-to-find-out\/&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GtFDurbG3b2gLf6P6HiFv-2000-80.png&#8221;] Pro Cycling Rules Safety Can cyclists actually avoid injuries and illness? Experts examined three years of UAE Team Emirates-XRG data to find out MEMBER EXCLUSIVE Features By James Witts Published 9 October 2026 A broken rider is like a broken wheel: useless, so in a sport obsessed with marginal gains, staying injury-free [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,68],"class_list":["post-2188863","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-cyclingnews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2188863","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2188863"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2188863\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2188863"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2188863"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2188863"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}