Do (pro) cycling races get cancelled because of heat?

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Ross
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Do (pro) cycling races get cancelled because of heat?

Postby Ross » Thu Jan 16, 2014 12:50 pm

Reason I ask is some of the pro tennis players are complaining about the heat and say organisers of the Australian Open should cancel or postpone matches. Does it ever become too hot to race bikes? TDU riders are lucky they aren't racing today with temps expected to hit 46 degrees in Adelaide today.

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Re: Do (pro) cycling races get cancelled because of heat?

Postby macca33 » Thu Jan 16, 2014 1:00 pm

Hard to say, as I 'spose cancelling an entire stage (and trying to reschedule) would be mind-boggling logistically.

I agree though, there is a point where it is simply dangerous - both hot and cold extrmes - where organisers ought to take the consideration of the welfare of the sports-persons over and above all else.

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g-boaf
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Re: Do (pro) cycling races get cancelled because of heat?

Postby g-boaf » Thu Jan 16, 2014 1:06 pm

More importantly, how do you explain a potential cancellation to entitled spectators who demand the right to see pro sports people push themselves to extreme injury or death?

This is the worst thing at the moment.

If the heat is too much, then cancellation is the only way.
Last edited by g-boaf on Thu Jan 16, 2014 11:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

mick243
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Re: Do (pro) cycling races get cancelled because of heat?

Postby mick243 » Thu Jan 16, 2014 6:03 pm

Those tiny high pressure tyres on heat softened tar..... Might end up more like a tractor pull than a road race

scirocco
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Re: Do (pro) cycling races get cancelled because of heat?

Postby scirocco » Thu Jan 16, 2014 9:38 pm

Lot more cooling on a bike from the airflow compared with playing tennis. Unless you're going up a 15% grade of course. :)

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grasshopper
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Re: Do (pro) cycling races get cancelled because of heat?

Postby grasshopper » Fri Jan 17, 2014 9:02 am

Good piece on this overnight by Inrng. Summary, it's tricky.

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Xplora
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Re: Do (pro) cycling races get cancelled because of heat?

Postby Xplora » Fri Jan 17, 2014 9:29 am

Shouldn't get cancelled, no matter how brutal the conditions, for a Pro stage. Amateurs, if it's an Elite level race you'd consider running it anyway.

Athletes are aiming to peak at a particular time, and amateurs need to take time off work to compete. Perhaps book planes to get to the race. Let's not beat around the bush, it's damn hard to ride hills and the like in 35 degrees, let alone 45. Me personally, I don't think things should stop. The riders who can deal with the heat better, they will do well. We don't change the race schedule because the domestiques don't have a high enough FTP to win. Or take out the climbing stages because the sprinters can't climb. Athletes have natural advantages, and if it means they ride at 35kmh instead of 40 to cope with the heat, so be it. If you were concerned about the OHS issues then you would never include descents in a race, and you might not race at all in case someone has a heart episode (An Aussie just had that problem!).

Level playing field, a lot of hilly stages are survival anyway so this is just another challenge to be faced - these guys have cars with water bottles, gels a plenty, and people to ride the stuff to their bottle cage. They can handle it. Don't look to tennis for an example of the Hard Man.

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toolonglegs
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Do (pro) cycling races get cancelled because of heat?

Postby toolonglegs » Fri Jan 17, 2014 5:27 pm

I think basically if it is insanely hot they should reschedule for cooler hours / shorten or cancel. I personally have no interest in seeing someone die because of the heat.
There is an inbuilt system to call off races. If the riders decide to stop then the race will be stopped. Middle of the road protest ( under some shade would be nice :-) ) .
Race I was at last April this happened... Due to extreme wind. This particular stage was 200kms long, Motos were getting blown off the road... They were averaging less than 20kms an hour which meant the stage would be up to 10 hours long, would be dark well before then.
Rider protest eventually saw a Milan SanRemo type scenario where the riders got back on bus till 50kms to go to restart. Everyone was happyish with that... Except one of the trucks transporting the bikes rolled on a flooded descent and didn't arrive!.

wes2412
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Re: Do (pro) cycling races get cancelled because of heat?

Postby wes2412 » Wed Mar 19, 2014 10:07 pm

Haven't seen that

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ldrcycles
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Re: Do (pro) cycling races get cancelled because of heat?

Postby ldrcycles » Wed Mar 19, 2014 10:19 pm

toolonglegs wrote:I personally have no interest in seeing someone die because of the heat.
This. All the talk of "rule 5" etc is fine and dandy but there comes a point where the adult thing to do is stop.
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trailgumby
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Re: Do (pro) cycling races get cancelled because of heat?

Postby trailgumby » Wed Mar 19, 2014 11:22 pm

Agreed. Hottest race I've done was the WSMTB 4 hour at Yellomundee. 42C in the shade.

If one of my teammates hadn't brought a couple of bags of ice along I'd have been in serious trouble. Sitting down after completing your lap was worse than continuing to ride ... which was like racing in a furnace.

The thing with pro racers is that many competitors are so desperate to get a result they will push themselves past the point of damaging themselves. Organisers need to look after the health of their athletes.

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ruckmaj
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Re: Do (pro) cycling races get cancelled because of heat?

Postby ruckmaj » Tue Mar 25, 2014 10:08 am

Have to think of the spectators and officials too, i went and watched golf a couple of years ago in the middle of summer and that was excruciating standing in the sun for hours and hours..

Hot temps just suck the energy out of you.
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