Okay, I am not a Doctor or even an EMT or Paramedic, but what the are these people doing? In the US, even in pro sports when a player goes down hard the person is immobalized (sp?) and set on a back board. I have yet to see this in any of the crashes in the TDF even the worst ones. I understand that bike crashes often look much worse than they are but even in todays race with two horrible crashes or in yesterdays stage in the crash hitting the center divider it seems that they allow them on the bike a little too quickly and with out any real check from a Doctor?
Realize that the TDF is a one time a year event not xxx games per year in pro ball/stick sports. So if you miss one game it’s no big deal, but miss the TDF and you have to wait a whole year, assuming some team rehires you.
The EMT will ask the guy if he can still ride. If he can he gets back up on his bike and continues. If not he falls off again and then they take over. No US style ambulance chasing lawyers in France either.
Or maybe cyclists are just tougher than all those over weight NFL dudes.