The Vuelta and the extreme heat up for debate: "Why not find an alternative schedule?
It’s a reality. We have all suffered it and no one has escaped it. The increase in global temperature is aimed at exceeding 1.5°C in the coming years and this has been expressed by the UN. In 2026, Spain experienced the warmest summer since records began, with an average temperature of 26ºC, which is 2.5 degrees above normal compared to the reference period 1991-2020, and on September 4, Spain equaled its temperature record in September, with the 45.7ºC recorded in the town of El Granado (Huelva). A situation that seems to have come to stay, altering people’s lives, their daily lives and affecting sports practice.
That the stage is shortened by the organization is a good decision, but why don’t we also make another schedule?
UAE Team General Manager
In the recent Soccer World Championship The mandatory measure of the hydration break was introduced in the 22nd minute of the first half and in the 67th minute of the second, trying to take care of the health of the footballers and at the same time sparking a debate about the commercial interests behind it.
The world of football took measures, but other sports did not, such as professional cycling, in which hydration breaks cannot be established and whose stages are still held during the hours of maximum heat. A situation that when the thermometer seems to want to explode does not make much sense, since it not only endangers the health of the cyclists but also affects the performance and competitiveness of the race.
In the past Tour de France Temperatures above 40ºC were recorded. There were stages that were even questioned about being held due to the extreme heat, with the ninth stage being shortened by 30 kilometers and the use of cooling vests being extended and the consumption of water and ice packs multiplying.
A situation that could occur again in The Returna, more so with the bulk of many of its stages in Andalusian lands. Already at the conclusion of the 13th stage it was announced that the next day the ‘liberalization’ of liquid supplies would be allowed, after the leader of the race, Enric Maswho likes to run in the heat, will raise the alarm.
In a very hot period, the use of drums in a team like Movistar skyrockets, going from 80 to 250 units.
“It has been an extremely hot day. At times it has been strange because when we were running we felt the heat despite the air. If it gets hotter there will have to be a runners’ meeting because it would be dangerous to go out.”
The situation did not improve and it was decided to shorten Sunday’s stage by 70 kilometers. Javier Guillén, general director of La Vuelta, He explained before the 15th stage began the reason for this measure. “It was the initiative of the runners. They proposed calling the protocol due to extreme temperatures. We had a meeting yesterday morning (Saturday), all kinds of suggestions and considerations were made that we took into consideration. We took into account everything that was there and that is why the decision was made to shorten the stage by 70 kilometers given the extreme temperatures.”
However, despite the cut, the debate has been present for days in the peloton and among the fans, what can be done. Yes, the stage is shortened, but filming starts at 3:00 p.m. In this regard he spoke Joxean Fernández Matxin, general manager of the UAE Team to Eurosport. “Doing a stage in these conditions can have problems, as happened in the stage he won Adam Yates in Granada, where three runners had to withdraw due to heat stroke. We lost two days ago Pavel Sivakov due to heat stroke.”
And he added, “shortening the stage by the organization is a good decision, but why don’t we also make another schedule. The fact of competing and leaving at three in the afternoon when the heat is at its strongest, I don’t think it helps the heat protocol, so I’m throwing out an idea.”
own Matthew Brennan winner of three stages this year in La Vuelta, issued this warning yesterday in Granada: “I would not compete at 40ºC again. I was looking and we had an average of 4º degrees, and at the beginning of the climb it read 44 degrees. At that moment you start to think what we are doing. I am sure that the people in the UCI offices are at 20 degrees. “I would not be surprised if there are people tonight who go home in an ambulance due to heat stroke.”
