As heat waves in France grow more dangerous by the year, killing baby birds and melting roads, the future of the Tour de France grows more unstable.
The Tour de France has always been a test of human endurance, with cyclists covering huge distances over a span of three weeks. But as temperatures rise to as high as 104 degrees Fahrenheit along some points of the race, some question whether the Tour de France has taken a dangerous turn.
It’s probably safe to say this year’s temperatures were not expected by cyclists in the race. French cyclist Romain Bardet, who has participated in nine past tours, told reporters that this year’s heat waves were nothing like anything he’d ever experienced.
While the main purpose of the Tour de France has always been to push cyclists to their limits, it’s unclear where to draw the line between a pure challenge and unprepared-for harm to participants.
“We’re going to have to change the way the Tour de France is designed in the next few years,” said Matthieu Sorel, a climate expert at France’s meteorological service who witnessed the race in the Pyrenees this week.
The Tour de France has always been a test of human endurance, with cyclists covering huge distances over a span of three weeks. But as temperatures rise to as high as 104 degrees Fahrenheit along some points of the race, some question whether the Tour de France has taken a dangerous turn.
It’s probably safe to say this year’s temperatures were not expected by cyclists in the race. French cyclist Romain Bardet, who has participated in nine past tours, told reporters that this year’s heat waves were nothing like anything he’d ever experienced.
While the main purpose of the Tour de France has always been to push cyclists to their limits, it’s unclear where to draw the line between a pure challenge and unprepared-for harm to participants.
“We’re going to have to change the way the Tour de France is designed in the next few years,” said Matthieu Sorel, a climate expert at France’s meteorological service who witnessed the race in the Pyrenees this week.
