« We tend to professionalize women cycling »

Those teams are important actors of the recent evolution of women’s cycling, with the beginning of the women’s World Tour in 2016 and the increase of the number of women’s races corresponding to the men’s biggest events.

However, the enforcement of the MPCC rules by women needs gender adjustements, particularly on cortisol rates. Doctor Philippe Rolland, chief doctor of the FDJ-Nouvelle Aquitine-Futuroscope team, explains the problems he has to face in a video interview, for instance when he has to collect physiological data for his riders.

He insists on the problem of riders that take the pills, this has an important effect on their cortisol levels. Since women’s teams started joining the MPCC, they have always campaigned for the realisation of samples testing on their riders, but this only is possible if the norms are adapted.

In 2017, the MPCC wishes to make the most of advices by consulted experts in order to make a steap forward regarding the cortisol levels controls. The Movement also encourages all the women’s teams, World Tour teams or not, to join the current 6 members in order to make it possible to think together about a way to to improve the credibility of today’s cycling, which exposure seems to be more and more focusing on major mixt events.