“This incident illustrates the difficulty in dealing with concussion suspicions in a sport with a crazy rhythm,” says the UCI. “After all, it is not easy for those who are the first to arrive at a fallen rider to quickly decide whether or not a rider can continue.”
“To address this problem, the new UCI protocol recommends that trainers, sports directors, mechanics and riders receive training to recognize the signs of a concussion.”
“If there are clear signs of a concussion, the diagnosis must first be confirmed by the race doctor. If those signs are not there, the rider can be further monitored by the medical staff. But after the race, and also a day later,” the rider must undergo a medical examination “, says the UCI.
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The protocol also contains recommendations for returning to competition. Riders who have suffered a concussion must take complete rest between 24 and 48 hours. They are not allowed to race for at least a week after their symptoms disappear, for the juniors it will be two weeks.
Finally, any concussion-related events should be reported to the UCI medical director, as research has shown that repeated concussions can have serious neurobiological consequences for athletes.
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