The SBS team discussed the harsh realities of riding with illness and serious injuries in response to riders struggling during the later stages of the Tour de France, with Australian cycling legend Simon revealing that he'd been asked to ride with broken bones during his career.
Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) battled a stomach bug and was dropped early during Stage 16, but refused to withdraw in the hopes he could get to the finish line within the time limit despite vomiting multiple times throughout the day.
A day later, with 94 kilometres left in stage 17, race vision showed a similar scene, with Fabio Felline (Astana) far off the back of the peloton and appearing to struggle mightily. He looked physically unwell and wouldn't go on to finish the stage, prompting a discussion among the team of their thoughts on the situation with Soler.
Gerrans, who rode 12 Tours de France in his 14-year professional career, said that his experiences with situations where he was injured or ill showed him the harsh reality of how certain teams deal with rider welfare.
"I've never witnessed a team tell a rider to pull out of the race because they're unwell," said Gerrans.
"Every scenario that I've ever witnessed in professional cycling, the team has tried to encourage the rider to finish the stage regardless of the condition they're in health-wise.
"I'd been racing with broken bones at some points in my career, and it was obvious I had a broken bone, but I'd still be encouraged to finish the stage when there's obviously no way I would be able to continue the next day.
"I don't think the rider's health even comes into the equation when it comes to the potential of completing a Tour de France stage and assessing the damage afterwards or just finishing your tour on the roadside.
"I think these riders are seen as assets and commodities of the team and they're paid to perform at the highest level. I honestly think in this scenario, their health is secondary, it's a secondary thought for the team to getting a rider through to deliver a result."
Dr. Bridie O'Donnell talked of the team's responsibility in these situations for the rider's welfare when there is clearly a medical issue.
"That imagery of Marc Soler, really struggling... for me I feel like that's a decision that should be taken out of the hands of the riders," O'Donnell added.
"The team should say to you, 'We don't think you're well enough, you should pull out'.
"I think there's always opportunities where riders might recover but this is a rider who started losing time from the beginning of the stage."
Keenan focused on the decision-making aspect of Soler's condition, believing the onus was on his team to make his decision for him to protect his health given he was very unwell and wouldn't have continued in the race regardless of if he finished the stage.
"He wasn't making clear decisions and it's somewhat similar to what you see in the responsibility of people in the corner of a boxer - they throw the towel in, the boxer's not in a position to make that decision," said Keenan.
"Yesterday I thought a team doctor had the responsibility to take Marc Soler out of the race. We've made a lot of progress with concussions and, 'let's not be a hero and press on' - thinking about long term health."
Soler was at the centre of the 'riding on with injury' issue for the second year in a row after his team in 2021, Movistar, got him to ride to the finish when he was asking to stop after a nasty crash during Stage 1 of the Tour de France. Soler fractured both arms' radial heads and his left ulnar head, and was picked up and put back on his bike and continued on well behind the race despite being dizzy, severely injured and unable to brake properly.
The Tour de France continues with Stage 18, one of the hardest stages of the entire race, taking in two hors categories climbs of the Col d’Aubisque and the Hautacam. Watch on the SBS SKODA Tour Tracker from 9.20 AEST, with the SBS and SBS On Demand broadcast starting at 2130 AEST.
