Professional cyclist Lawson Craddock, left, converses with Steve Johnson, president and CEO of USA Cycling, at the end of a press conference at the VW Chattanooga kicking off the 2013 Volkswagen USA Cycling Professional Road and TT National Championships.It’s hard to tell who will have the higher adrenaline rush during the championship cycling races this weekend: The cyclists hurtling at breakneck speeds down mountains and highways – or the doctors leaning out of cars alongside them, trying to bandage injured-but-stubborn riders still on their bikes.
The mobile medical unit — as the caravan of five vehicles staffed with doctors, nurses and paramedics is called — is just one feature of the large and complex medical presence that will care for both athletes and spectators this weekend.
More than 150 medical personnel from Erlanger Health System, the medical sponsor for the championship races, have volunteered to help during the weekend.
“[The event] is going to be attracting thousands of people here,” said Danielle Mitchell, a sports medicine physician who is medical director for the event. “So we have this need for community-based medical support, but you also have some very specialized care that happens in regards to professional athletes, and how it pertains to cycling.”
Coordinators with Erlanger have been planning for the event since they formed the contract with USA Cycling in September, said Donna Bourdon, Erlanger’s executive liaison of the project.