As Europe broils, should we reconsider how we spectate at bike races – not least the Tour de France?
You might need more than a token bottle of water if you're heading outside this summer
A curious, maybe portentous, image emerged from last week's racing at the Tour de Suisse. As the race passes through a postcard-beautiful riverside town, the spectators are nowhere to be seen – until you look carefully. Then they appear, sheltering in small groups in dark spots beneath trees and among bushes – not from the rain, but from the blazing sun.
It may not have escaped your notice that a blanket of scorching heat is currently being wafted across Europe. Unusually high temperatures approaching 40degC (100.4deg F) have been forecast for the UK and for Spain, while France, on the eve of the world's biggest bike race, has already suffered temperatures above 43C (109.4F). Scorching, oven-ready readings that add up to 50% to the seasonal average.
Having been at Cycling Weekly for over two decades, and cycling even longer, James is in a good position to tell you what's good and what isn't in the world of bike riding.
In my very British experience, I can vouch that people get rather excited when the mercury starts to rise. 'Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun', as the saying goes, and there's probably some truth in it – likely a symptom of living in a country where grey skies are the default setting and, a bit like when it snows, many of us feel a certain amount of childish glee when the UV rises.
But temperatures like this deserve to be taken seriously, as a resultant and tragic 20 deaths across France would attest.
If you're planning on spectating at a bike race this summer, you might want to go prepared. The current heatwave may not last into August, but that isn't to say another won't come along, while temperatures in-between spikes may remain high.
Dangers include sunburn, which with some planning can be mitigated for, and heatstroke, which is less predictable and poses immediate danger to life.
In the UK, the NHS advises against going outside in hot weather between 11am-3pm as a heatstroke avoidance tactic. Unfortunately, when it comes to spectating at a race like the Tour de France, that is exactly the time bracket that's likely to see you out under the sun. With the surrounding roads closed and the time between the famed Tour caravan arriving and the passage of the riders usually around two hours, it's no quick out-and-in deal either.
We're probably all sufficiently well-versed in sunburn prevention tactics. High SPF cream reapplied at intervals, hats and shady spots. Take it seriously and there's a good chance you can avoid the beetroot look.
Heatstroke on the other hand is caused when the body overheats and is unable to regulate itself, and can be fatal. It's also a very good reason to avoid any open and unsheltered spots from which to watch a bike race. If you start to feel ill and you're a 30 minute walk from shelter, you could find yourself in trouble of the most serious sort.
If you're determined to go watch a race and nothing – not even the ramblings of a Cycling Weekly writer – is going to persuade you otherwise, pick a town to do it from. Here, you are more likely to find air-conditioned shops that you can shelter in when you need to and will be genuinely cool, unlike a patch of shade under a tree. You'll also be able to find extra supplies and cold drinks, although given you'll need to take hydration as seriously as the riders, you'll no doubt have plenty packed already.
If watching a bike race isn't on your radar this summer, that doesn't mean you're off the hook. Everything from family picnics to short rides is going to require the same kind of planning, and consideration as to whether you might be better off leaving it for a cooler day.
And so concludes this public information message, coloured by the experience of an admittedly sun-cautious 50-something whose kids' devotion to daily UV ratings (higher the better, apparently), leaves him somewhat aghast. Stay safe out there.