Tour de France peloton suffer through 40º heat: 'For sure it's not healthy'
The UCI enacted their Extreme Weather Protocol on the transition stage before the second rest day
Have you ever experience heat like this, came the question to Romain Bardet. "Not in the Tour, no," was his reply, the Frenchman draped in an ice cooling vest and drinking yet more cold fluids to rehydrate himself after one of the hottest Tour de France stages in history on Sunday.
A day before the second and final rest day, the peloton crossed the Massif Central from Rodez to Carcassonne, with the racing played out under yet another intense heatwave in what has been a scorching hot summer in mainland Europe with the mercury hitting 40º at one point.
The 15th stage was won by Jasper Philipsen, the sprinters finally getting a chance at glory after 11 successive stages without an opportunity. The winner's Alpecin-Deceuninck teammate Alexander Kreiger was hiding in the shade after the stage, and remarked that racing under such conditions "for sure is not healthy."
But the German added: "In the end it's also cycling, and everybody here decided for themselves to do an outside sport. Sometimes it sucks and you go out in the rain and the snow, and sometimes you go out in the heat. I prefer the heat but it's definitely super-demanding.
"We did the best we could with cooling strategies. You have to stay hydrated and temperature management has to be good all the way. If you overdo your engine once and you don't cool it [straight away], you probably won't recover for quite a long time so it's crucial.
"It's obviously a question if you can handle it well or not. I was pretty much on the limit all of the stage in these temperatures."
Michael Matthews, the winner 24 hours earlier, quipped that being from Australian makes him "pretty immune to heat, but I've also lived in Europe for at least 10 or 11 years. I was really good in the heat
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
A freelance sports journalist and podcaster, you'll mostly find Chris's byline attached to news scoops, profile interviews and feature writing across a variety of different publications. He has been writing regularly for Cycling Weekly since 2013.
Previously a ski, hiking and cycling guide in a number of places, but mostly in the Canadian Rockies and Spanish Pyrenees, he almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains.
He lives in Valencia, Spain.
-
Giant files lawsuit and recruits top Stages Cycling staff as power meter brand closes down
Giant filed a suit against Stages in February and four team members left the latter to join Giant
By Michelle Arthurs-Brennan Published
-
Overachiever: Cameron Wurf competed in the Amstel Gold, La Flèche Wallonne and an Ironman, all in just eight days
Cameron Wurf is both a member of Team Ineos Grenadiers and an accomplished professional long course triathlete who has racked up numerous World Tour and Ironman race finishes across his career.
By Kristin Jenny Published
-
Wout van Aert back on drop bars as he says he’s 'almost professional again' in Strava post
Visma-Lease a Bike rider broke his collarbone, sternum and several ribs in a high speed crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Jonas Vingegaard leaves hospital after Itzulia Basque Country horror crash
Danish rider underwent surgery to repair broken collarbone; too early to know whether Tour de France return will be possible
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Will the Tour de France be won by the last man standing?
With Jonas Vingegaard, Remco Evenepoel and Primož Roglič hitting the deck at Itzulia Basque Country, all three now face battle to get their seasons back on track
By Adam Becket Published
-
Tom Pidcock unable to bear weight on right leg after Itzulia Basque Country crash
British rider crashed during recon of opening stage time trial last weekend and injured his right hip
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Mark Cavendish to miss Scheldeprijs as illness continues to affect schedule
Cavendish will ride Presidential Cycling Tour of Türkiye later this month, Astana Qazaqstan confirms
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Mathieu van der Poel not intimidated by Tadej Pogačar’s form ahead of Milan-San Remo clash
Dutchman starts his 2024 road season at Italian Monument on Saturday
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'I pulled it off and turned everything around' - Brandon McNulty on the ride that changed him
US star grabbed his first ever Grand Tour win at last year’s Giro d’Italia
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Matteo Jorgenson, Visma-Lease a Bike’s new star, continues to impress at Paris-Nice
The American could step into the leaders yellow jersey on Tuesday evening after stage three’s team time trial in Auxerre
By Tom Thewlis Published