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Tour de France riders live longer, say researchers Tour de France riders live longer, say researchers
(14 days later)
French riders in the Tour de France live an average of six years longer than the general population and die less often of cardiovascular problems, according to researchers.French riders in the Tour de France live an average of six years longer than the general population and die less often of cardiovascular problems, according to researchers.
The study, presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress on Tuesday, examined all 786 French competitors in the gruelling bicycle race from 1947 to 2012, and found their death rate was 41% lower than average for French males as of last September.The study, presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress on Tuesday, examined all 786 French competitors in the gruelling bicycle race from 1947 to 2012, and found their death rate was 41% lower than average for French males as of last September.
Dr Xavier Jouven of the European Georges Pompidou hospital in Paris, who led the analysis, said the result suggested that doctors should be more assertive in championing vigorous exercise.Dr Xavier Jouven of the European Georges Pompidou hospital in Paris, who led the analysis, said the result suggested that doctors should be more assertive in championing vigorous exercise.
"We should encourage people to exert themselves," he said. "If there was a real danger in doing high-level exercise then we should have observed it in this study.""We should encourage people to exert themselves," he said. "If there was a real danger in doing high-level exercise then we should have observed it in this study."
Riders in the Tour de France – which has been compared to running a marathon several days a week for nearly three weeks – had a 33% lower risk of death from heart attacks or strokes than the general population.Riders in the Tour de France – which has been compared to running a marathon several days a week for nearly three weeks – had a 33% lower risk of death from heart attacks or strokes than the general population.
They suffered lower rates of death from all causes, including cancer, with the one exception of traumatic injury, which Jouven said reflected the frequency of road accidents.They suffered lower rates of death from all causes, including cancer, with the one exception of traumatic injury, which Jouven said reflected the frequency of road accidents.
Worries about high-intensity exercise such as cycling and marathon-running have been fuelled by some previous small studies using advanced imaging techniques that suggested possible heart abnormalities, such as heart arrhythmias.Worries about high-intensity exercise such as cycling and marathon-running have been fuelled by some previous small studies using advanced imaging techniques that suggested possible heart abnormalities, such as heart arrhythmias.
The French cyclists studied took part in a median 2.5 Tour de France races and their median age at the first race was 25 years.The French cyclists studied took part in a median 2.5 Tour de France races and their median age at the first race was 25 years.
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