Educational resource for female professional cyclists on arterial flow restriction in one or both legs due to kinking and/or endofibrosis of their iliac arteries

More than 20% of professional cyclists develop complaints during their career due to a vascular disease of the pelvic artery. 

Many riders may have a vascular problem, but not know it, as the condition is not well-known and symptoms are often associated with the normal physiological process of exhaustion during cycling.

If the cause is not found and diagnosed, riders think they lack the talent and consider quitting, ending their professional cycling career.

Read our presentation below to understand more about this condition and hear directly from female cyclists who have EIAE.
EIAE_TCA

Dr Roger Bell, from North Western Vascular Department in Melbourne, Australia talks about ‘Claudication in Elite Athletes’ and the different treatment options.
Medical Professionals utilised by the cyclists we researched*

*This is purely informational and not a recommendation. Source: TCA EIAE Survey April 2021

Further Reading: Rider blogs / news articles
  • Charlotte Colclough - "During a race in August 2017, my left leg went very numb and weak. After this it was very obvious something was wrong. Just walking upstairs would bring on extreme burning from lactic acid. At rest it was OK but any sort of exercise brought on the burning.”
  • Simone Boilard - “It all started in early 2019 when I couldn't push on my bike anymore. At first it was just a feeling of heavy legs.”
  • Pauline Ferrand-Prevot - Ferrand-Prevot was first diagnosed with the problem, which limits blood flow in the affected area, at the end of the 2018 season after a long stretch of feeling unable to put normal amounts of power into her leg.
Further Reading: Medical Papers