The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and World Athletics are joining forces with the aim of improving the safety and well-being of athletes in the sports they govern and other endurance sports.
Last year, the UCI officially joined the World Academy for Endurance Medicine, powered by World Athletics, which supports healthcare professionals overseeing endurance sports and events. The aim is to introduce them to standardised medical concepts, procedures, and protocols in race medicine.
In this context, the Health and Science Department at World Athletics, the international governing body for athletics, recently visited the UCI headquarters in Aigle, Switzerland, to further discuss and plan future pedagogical tools and research projects beneficial to both cyclists and endurance runners.
A top priority for 2025 is the joint development of two e-learning modules, the first on concussion management and the second on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs). Concussion injuries can have serious consequences, and medical education is vital to improve the diagnosis and monitoring of these brain injuries. REDs, a condition caused by chronic under-fuelling that leads to multiple health problems and poor performance, is also common among endurance athletes.
The two sports governing bodies will also pool their resources and knowledge to better understand the environmental challenges faced by professional road cyclists during stage races held in summer. While the UCI has developed a High Temperature Protocol, World Athletics also has significant expertise in assessing and mitigating environmental stressors such as extreme heat and poor air quality.
UCI Medical Director Professor Xavier Bigard said: “Cycling and athletics share many common points, and we can only benefit from working together to improve the wellbeing of our athletes. Education will be a major focus when it comes to dealing with concussion and also the prevention of REDs. In addition, being able to draw on World Athletics’ experience in the hyperlocal and dynamic monitoring of environmental stressors is a great opportunity for road cycling and will likely help us to better understand and mitigate these environmental risks.”
Director of the Health & Science Department at World Athletics Stéphane Bermon, said: “The partnership between the UCI and World Athletics in the context of the Academy is an invaluable opportunity to exchange best practices that are crucial to our sports. Together, we are elevating the standard of sports medicine to ensure athletes' safety and performance in even the most challenging conditions. This partnership will empower healthcare professionals to better protect and guide athletes, ultimately benefiting the sports of cycling and athletics.”