Christian Prudhomme announced, during the presentation of the Tour de France, his intention to further enhance bonus sprints to boost the race. The director of the Tour also confirmed his wish to see the use of power sensors by riders prohibited. But it will not be until 2020, according to the President of the International Cycling Union, David Lappartient. If tramadol (a painkiller) is banned, the situation remains vague around corticosteroids.
Christian Prudhomme, the director of the Tour de France, finished the presentation of the 2019 edition with the changes they want to put in place to boost the race. He also reviewed the measures taken by the International Cycling Union to fight against doping.
Power sensors
"We are reaffirming our desire to see the power sensors disappear in the race, which destroys the great uncertainty of the sport." Christian Prudhomme, who had expressed his disenchantment with the use of power sensors during the last Tour de France, confirmed his position on Thursday.
But this will not be possible from this 2019 edition, according to the President of the International Cycling Union, David Lappartient. " I never hid that I was against, not the use of the power sensors, but that the riders could read the data live during the race and it was agreed that we would do a working group at About the attractiveness of our races, we talked about it with Christian Prudhomme, president of the international association of the organizers.It is part of the tracks we are going to work on.If it has to be done, it will not be before the season. 2020. We can not change the rules during the year. "
Bonus sprints
During the 2018 Tour de France, the organizers set up bonus sprints in the first ten stages, at the end of the stage, with bonuses at the end (3, 2 and 1). Christian Prudhomme wants to go further. " We will keep the bonus points, all along the route this time, systematically uphill.These are incentives to the offensive.We do not intend to sacrifice any of the elements that can animate the race.We will ask the UCI to award higher bonuses to these bonus points. "
David Lappartient confirms that the UCI "was ready to study the subject" .
Tramadol and corticosteroids
If the decision does not depend on the organizers of the Tour, Christian Prudhomme supports the UCI in its desire to end the use of products for doping, namely tradamol (a painkiller) and corticosteroids. "I also note with satisfaction the UCI's desire to supervise, for the protection of the athlete and his health, certain medications such as corticosteroids and tramadol. It's essential. "
If for tramadol, the ban is on track, the situation is more vague around corticosteroids. " From the moment when the World Anti-Doping Agency does not want to put these substances on the list of banned products, we are forced to switch on health problems, explains David Lappartient.With tramadol, it is very easy to demonstrate the health implications For corticosteroids, all studies show this in a global way: A group of five experts of different nationalities have been appointed to make a conclusion to support the ban for health reasons. We have to be very edgy in case of appeal.It is more complicated than tramadol, for which we should be ready from mid-January, we hope to be as soon as possible, again in 2019. "