"We have a heat protocol, but I think it’s lying somewhere far away in a corner" - Is the Tour de France's handling of the severe heat unsafe for the riders?
CyclingWednesday, 08 July 2026 at 15:55
The heat has been one of the central topics of the 2026 thus far, with the peloton unable to escape the gruesome temperatures that have been affecting the riders on the daily. Extreme measures are being taken to counter the heat, both by teams and by loser rules set by the organizers - but there is a real discussion within the peloton on whether the race should continue under such circumstances.
“It is really time for us all to sit down and discuss how we are going to handle this in the future. This is unhealthy. I don't know if it is unsafe, but in any case, it is not healthy," Matteo Trentin argued in words to Wielerflits.
Trentin is often one of the faces in the peloton that argues for change, and safety within the sport. Often when there are neutralizations or cancelations in stages, he is one of the riders that represents the peloton, and has extensive history handling the balance between the riders and organizers' needs.
The ongoing Tour has been a test for the peloton, and organizers alike, who have been having to handle temperatures of around 35 degrees since the very first day in Barcelona.
Not only are the riders having to handle the extraordinary circumstances, but the Tour's organizers have also had to make changes on stage 3 with a set of measures set to reduce the race's impact on the Pyrenees, close to an area where a large wildfire raged on.
Read also
Is the heat protocol being ignored?
The sport has safety protocols that can be implemented for extreme weather conditions. Rain, wind, snow... And the heat as well, which happens to be a more frequent factor, specially deep in the summer where the Tour is a benchmark.
But thus far, aside from changes from the organizers, nothing structural has been changed. Stages have not been cut or shortened thus far, with the riders tackling the entire route under the blazing afternoon sun in Catalunya and now southern France.
“We have a heat protocol, but I think it’s lying somewhere far away in a corner,” Soudal - Quick-Step's Dylan van Baarle has said in words to NOS. “Is it still responsible? That is a good question… I don’t think so.”
Even GC contenders have been vocal about the difficulties, with Tom Pidcock and Cian Uijtdebroeks amongst those who have been at their limit due to the very high temperatures that are unavoidable.
For van Baarle, former Paris-Roubaix winner and veteran in the peloton, there should be a limit in duration in which the peloton races at such temperatures. “In any case, shortening stages. We can still race for two to three hours in this heat, but it’s not just for us, you know. At a certain point, there is no water or ice available in the team car either. After two to three hours, it really is irresponsible," he argued for.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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