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Tour de France rider abandons race after rejecting Therapeutic Use Exemption that would have let him continue

Lotto-Soudal's Tim Wellens, reportedly suffering heat allergy, did not want reputation questioned by taking otherwise banned drug...

Lotto-Soudal cyclist Tim Wellens yesterday abandoned the Tour de France after declining to apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption on the grounds that he does not want his reputation to be questioned.

The 26-year-old has reportedly been suffering from a heat allergy that has manifested itself through red spots appearing on his skin, and according to Het Nieuwsblad could have continued in the race had he applied for permission to use cortisone to treat the condition.

However, he declined to pursue that route, with team manager Marc Sergeant telling L'Equipe: "It's an ethical choice, somethung that is very important to him."

Wellens struggled on Saturday's stage to Rodez as the temperature hit 30 degrees Celsius. He finished within the time limit but nearly half an hour after stage winner Michael Matthews of Team Sunweb.

However, he was forced to abandon the race early on in yesterday's Stage 15 to Le Puy en Verlay.

The use of TUEs in cycling and beyond has come under increased scrutiny since the Fancy Bears hacking group released details last year of athletes competing at the Rio Olympics who had been granted them.

Among the names released was Sir Bradley Wiggins, who was revealed to have taken a powerful corticosteroid to treat grass and pollen allergies before three key stage races - the 2011 and 2012 Tour de France, and the 2013 Giro d'Italia.

News of the TUEs granted to him, and the subsequent controversy over the contents of the Jiffy Bag delivered to a former Team Sky doctor for Wiggins' use at the 2011 Criterium du Dauphine cast a shadow over the closing months of his career and continue to do so now he is retired.

UK ANti-Doping has been investigating British Cycling and Team Sky in respect of the TUEs and the Jiffy Bag to ascertain if there is any evidence of wrongdoing but it has yet to publish its findings.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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23 comments

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fuzzywuzzy | 6 years ago
1 like

I think it's a mistake personally, the problem with TUEs is often they aren't made public not that they exist. If he has a genuine medical condition that short-term cortisone use could have alleviated then why not do it under TUE? Just make it public, sure some idiots may question it but I doubt many would.

 

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Carton | 6 years ago
1 like

It is ethical to feel shame.

It is particularly ethical to attempt to avoid the feeling when you know some of your competitors wouldn't or wouldn't have to.

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Beachboy | 6 years ago
0 likes

So which one was it, he states it went against his ethics to take a normally banned substance in case it impacted on his reputation. So if people were not hounding Wiggins and Co in regard to the information released by a bunch of illegal hackers, he would have gladly taken it. What is ethical about that. Seems that this witch hunt has stopped him continuing, when he could have legally taken medical aid and carried on.

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Harmanhead | 6 years ago
0 likes

No no I can't carry on!

We'll give you this, just get a TUE. No no I've got morals (and no chance of winning) 

another excuse for sky bashing!

get over it! Just appreciate some great riding from some f-ing great riders regardless of team

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RobD | 6 years ago
1 like

This has probably done his team mates quite a big favour as it will give a slightly better impression of the type of riders on that team, willing to miss part of the biggest race of the year because you don't agree with the system.

I hope he gets over it quickly, it must be pretty nasty if it's enough for him to climb off the bike, considering what a lot of the riders will try to race through.

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handlebarcam | 6 years ago
0 likes

I can see Dave Brailsford tapping away on his laptop during the rest day, adding notes to Team Sky's database of potential future recruits. Under Tim Wellens, does it now say "not a team player", I wonder?

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FatBoyW | 6 years ago
0 likes

Exactly, it is poor form of Wellens and Lotto to not use the correct system to ensure that treatment for a medical condition happens.

 

rules are there to be followed, if you don't use them then are you contravening them? Russians must be loving this!

sponsor has every right to be annoyed too.

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1961BikiE | 6 years ago
0 likes

Good on him but very sad that he feels he has to abandon when there is a medication that he could use to ease the problem but the witch hunt is in full swing even for medically prescribed medication. As someone else said the Russians must be peeing themselves at the can f worms they've opened while they merrily get on with using PEDs with impunity.

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Jackson | 6 years ago
0 likes

If it had happened to Sky, Brailsford and Dr Freeman would have been rubbing their hands together and wheeling out a hot sauce concoction that'd take your head off. Bear this in mind next time someone tries the tired old "they're all at it" argument. Nice to see George Bennett calling out Wiggins' TUEs as "bullshit" in the NZ Herald the other day too.

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dottigirl | 6 years ago
1 like

The CW article mentions he's had breathing difficulties too - respiratory infection? So, not as simple as just a rash. 

Though not to dismiss rashes too - they can be very painful. A friend recently cycled to Lisbon and had quite a sore, bloody rash under her shorts' legs. 

I get heat rashes, but I usually take antihistamines to keep them under control. It's ruined a few holidays - sunbathing isn't an option any more as the rash pops up on the second day. Never knew cortisone would help - no doctor or pharmacist suggested it when the bottom half of my legs turned port-wine red. (Though by that time, it was probably past help. Took weeks for the skin on my legs to return to normal.)

 

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Awavey replied to dottigirl | 6 years ago
0 likes
dottigirl wrote:

I get heat rashes, but I usually take antihistamines to keep them under control. It's ruined a few holidays - sunbathing isn't an option any more as the rash pops up on the second day. Never knew cortisone would help -

It's an anti inflammatory,more likely to be a cortocosteroid, used to treat allergies which almost certainly is part of the respiratory problems, but it's alot stronger stuff than antihistamine,you wouldn't take it unless doctor prescribed it and long term use causes problems. Of course iirc out of competition he won't need the TUE for it.

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STiG911 replied to Awavey | 6 years ago
0 likes

Awavey wrote:
dottigirl wrote:

I get heat rashes, but I usually take antihistamines to keep them under control. It's ruined a few holidays - sunbathing isn't an option any more as the rash pops up on the second day. Never knew cortisone would help -

It's an anti inflammatory,more likely to be a cortocosteroid, used to treat allergies which almost certainly is part of the respiratory problems, but it's alot stronger stuff than antihistamine,you wouldn't take it unless doctor prescribed it and long term use causes problems. Of course iirc out of competition he won't need the TUE for it.

Is it likely that by the time treatment was needed it had to be Cortisone because Antihistamines wouldn't make a dent?

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EddyBerckx | 6 years ago
1 like

Nice to see the swivel eyed pitchfork loonies winning yet again.

 

meanwhile in Russia....same ol', same ol' 'cept they're pissing themselves laughing at us...

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atlaz | 6 years ago
2 likes

He's completed all 3 other grand tours he's raced in. His team know the truth so I can't imagine it to be damaging.

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notfastenough | 6 years ago
6 likes

Sounds all great and ethical on the face of it, and kudos to the lad for sticking to his principles.

However, there's nothing to say he won't get this kind of reaction in the same level of heat in the future.  So if after dreaming about it for years, you've finally made it through to the pro ranks, then managed to secure the lottery win of a TdF ride, do you:

A. Stick to your guns forever, potentially ruining your chances as a pro due to the warmer weather climes where many races are.

B. At some point accept that there may be valid medical reasons for a TUE, not least to enable you to continue riding your bike when you aren't, after all, ill or injured?

He may have already ruined his chances of another grand tour ride, due to the risk of him withdrawing where other riders would continue.

 

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MartyMcCann replied to notfastenough | 6 years ago
0 likes

notfastenough wrote:

Sounds all great and ethical on the face of it, and kudos to the lad for sticking to his principles.

However, there's nothing to say he won't get this kind of reaction in the same level of heat in the future.  So if after dreaming about it for years, you've finally made it through to the pro ranks, then managed to secure the lottery win of a TdF ride, do you:

A. Stick to your guns forever, potentially ruining your chances as a pro due to the warmer weather climes where many races are.

He may have already ruined his chances of another grand tour ride, due to the risk of him withdrawing where other riders would continue.

 

 

According to some  commentators on Eurosport, Wellens has told his team in the past he didn't actually want to ride the TdF because he was well aware of his reaction to heat, so it might not break his heart not to get to do it again. Plus it means he would be able to concentrate more on the likes of the Tour of Poland or  the  Eneco (or whatever they have changed its name to this year), which are better suited to his riding style any way.

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don simon fbpe | 6 years ago
3 likes

Respect, but it shouldn't have to be. Here's hoping the team supports him fully.

The system is clearly flawed, as is the reporting of and public reaction to.

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Must be Mad | 6 years ago
3 likes

Sounds like a good decision.

I will add a 'but' though -  medication can help surpress symptoms and make life a bit easier - but it not going to clear up a rash overnight. Sounds like it may have been too late for the medication anyway.

 

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BarryBianchi | 6 years ago
1 like

Standby for the obvious raft of questions about what other use he's trying to hide, now all the sh1t's stuck to the Bradley blanket....

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Yorkshire wallet | 6 years ago
1 like

Among the names released was Sir Bradley Wiggins, who was revealed to have taken a powerful corticosteroid to treat grass and pollen injuries

Pollen injury. Bradley's past get shadier all the time.

 

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BarryBianchi replied to Yorkshire wallet | 6 years ago
2 likes

Yorkshire wallet wrote:

Among the names released was Sir Bradley Wiggins, who was revealed to have taken a powerful corticosteroid to treat grass and pollen injuries

Pollen injury. Bradley's past get shadier all the time.

 

 

You're full of it.  You've obvioiusly never been hit by a great chunk of pollen at full speed.

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BigManLittleHair | 6 years ago
0 likes

Good lad. 

Now about that Wiggins 'character'...

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Vili Er replied to BigManLittleHair | 6 years ago
0 likes

BigManLittleHair wrote:

Good lad. 

Now about that Wiggins 'character'...

 

…and Froome. Oh but he's the darling of the UK cycling newbie fans so he's exempt.

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