Climate Change is preventing Tour de France from doing much

By: Connie Cao

Cycling competitors in the Tour de France must contend with long distances and extreme temperatures in this test of human endurance this month from July 1 – 24. Roads are melting as Europe is experiencing its hottest month of July, which limits what the Tour de France can do.

During July, the weather is growing hotter every week. One such reason was that it reached 93 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 20 degrees higher than Paris' typical July temperature. According to The Washington Post, concerns are raised regarding the riders' safety and whether this competition is going too far.

The intensity of the heat waves increased throughout the year, forcing the Tour's organizers to mist water over the roads to prevent them from "melting." Cycling enthusiasts are questioning whether this tour is a good idea because it is so severe, but many do not want to consider the repercussions.

According to Samuel Bellenoue, director of performance for the French cycling team Cofidis, "it's the most significant race in the world."

Cycling athletes are working significantly more to prepare for the competition as the Tour gets closer. But it's not as simple as it seemed.

Alexis Vuillermoz, currently riding for UCI ProTeam Total energies, experienced the harshest heat waves. He started throwing up after a few minutes of riding and passed out in the Alps. He was subsequently taken to the hospital and given heart stroke treatment. According to The Washington Post, he withdrew the following day, claiming he needed surgery.

"On the tarmac, you could sometimes really feel it. To French television network Eurosport, French cyclist Romain Bardet remarked, "At the beginning, I said, well, it's warm, it's relatively okay. "But when we got to the downhill, whoa! Crazy hot!"