During her long-range solo breakaway in the latter part of Strade Bianche, Kristen Faulkner was spotted by television cameras with a disc-shaped object on her upper arm. She later admitted it was a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), a device that was banned for use in competition by the UCI in 2021, and, despite her protests, she was stripped of her third place finish.
The rule – specifically point three of article 1.3.006 BIS within the UCI’s Technical Regulations – states that ‘devices which capture other physiological data, including any metabolic values such as but not limited to glucose or lactate, are not authorised in competition.’
In the days since her punishment, Faulkner issued a statement, in which she reiterated earlier claims that no data was transmitted during or after the race.
A separate statement was also issued by Supersapiens, the brand that provides its continuous glucose monitors to Faulkner and much of the professional peloton, stating this is an opportunity to better understand why athletes are choosing to use CGMs.
However, a few questions remain, predominantly centring around the word ‘why’. Why was Faulkner using one in the first place? Why didn’t she remove it? Why do teams use them at all? And why are they banned?
To begin answering these questions, let’s first look at how the Supersapiens continuous glucose monitors work.
How do continuous glucose monitors work?
There are a few makers of continuous glucose monitors in existence, but the one most specifically aimed at sporting performance – and the one used by Faulkner – comes from the American brand Supersapiens.
The Supersapiens product leverages the tech within an Abbott continuous glucose monitor, which was originally created for diabetics.
To use it, you apply the monitor to your upper arm using an applicator. This uses a needle to open a hole in the skin, through which a hair-thick filament is pushed. The needle then retracts into the applicator, leaving the filament in place. At the base of the filament is a plastic disc-shaped patch, which houses all of the circuitry, battery, NFC chip, Bluetooth chip, onboard memory and so on. This sticks to your skin holding the filament in place.
For context, this writer has tried it. It’s mostly painless, but Southerland has previously said it’s possible to catch a nerve, which can be “uncomfortable” for a couple of…
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