Has anybody heard if the use of intravenous drips is practiced in the peloton?
Strictly speaking, if nutrition is good, there should be no need , but a saline or drip with dextrose does get into the system much more quickly and would therefore lead to faster recovery after a race/stage. You sometimes hear of football players getting IVs during a game and nobody seems to question it. Would the authorities regard it as a form of doping---the substance in the IV may not be banned but I am wondering if the method of acquiring such substances is?

Regards
Brendan O'Sullivan
Canada

No, the issue is not how you acquired what is in your system. The issue is WHAT is in your system. Therefore using IV drip to take in glucose is different from using IV drip to take in stored platelets/blood.

It's something done for severe dehydration ..

Actually the answer is yes. UCI has a no-needles rule so that method is banned. https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-...-needle-policy

Oh, didn't know that. Thanks for setting the facts straight.

I didn't see anything there regarding IV saline that doesn't contain glucose???

As long as you can do an IV without a needle,sure. https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-...-needle-policy

They used a non needle inoculation gun when the Navy had a lot of inductees to process.

Viet Nam War era..

but IV is half liters, so probably wont work ..

maybe they will allow the rehydration, but your race is over then,

its time to ride the Bus and Watch.