[Modifications of the leukocytes in professional cyclists throughout the competition]

In this work we plan to analyze and establish the leukocyte variations due to the effort of the competition, throughout 4 short-term turns (5 days and an average of 750 km each one), in 16 professional cyclists (24.8 2.3 year-old, 71.0 4.5 kg and 179.3 5.0 cm). The hematological parameters analyzed were leukocytes (WBC), neurtrophils (NEUT), lymphocytes (LYM), monocytes (MON), eosinophils (EOS) and basophils (BAS), and the results are presented as the percentage on the total number of leukocytes. The serum level of cortisol was also measured along study time (before and after each one of the 4 turns). The results show that the total number of leukocytes increase significantly in the turns, both in basal conditions (B) and after finishing the turn (F). The NEUT show an ongoing increase in their basal values from the first to the fourth round, but its values at the conclusion of this are significantly lower with respect to the situation of reference of the beginning of the cyclist turn. The LYM in rest upon beginning the turns are kept in similar values during the study period, increasing significantly after the 5 days of competition of each turn. The cortisol, as they are happening the turns, they decline its rates both in rest and after the competition (5 days turns). In conclusion the physical exercise throughout several cyclists turns give rise an increases in the leukocytes that is associated to a progressive decline of the cortisol levels probably because of the conditioning that the cyclist shows throughout the competition.