"The guys are too angry, too excited" - Rudy Molard blames caffeine for rising number of crashes in the peloton

Whether or not there are more crashes in bike racing nowadays is a hot topic currently, especially after a disastrous Itzulia Basque Country crash in which many riders were left with broken collarbones and other injuries.

According to Groupama - FDJ's Rudy Molard, there may actually be a somewhat simple explanation for the rise in crashes... caffeine, or the effect caffeine has on riders. "The guys take doses... It's nonsense. We have to set thresholds not to exceed. There's too much tension. The guys are too angry, too excited, and no longer think about the fall," the 34-year-old tells Ouest-France. 

Although caffeine is not on the WADA list of banned substances, Molard believes the effects it has on riders cannot be ignored. As he puts it, caffeine brings the riders "too much excitement." "Having said that the riders had a large share of responsibility, we must also ask ourselves the following question: What pushes them to take so many risks?" Molard questions.

He's not alone either, fellow Frenchman, Lillian Calmejane also recently brought to light the potential detriment, pointing out "the famous 'final bottle' that 80% of riders take." Although Calmejane isn't sure caffeine can be viewed as the main issue. "It’s no secret that many riders use caffeine for the end of the races but I don’t think that’s really the problem," he concludes. "There’s just adrenaline in the peloton."