Tour Down Under 2018: Extremely hot weather may force cancellation of Bupa Challenge
MORE than 5000 recreational cyclists are sweating on Friday’s weather forecast with extreme heat threatening to cancel the Bupa Challenge Tour.
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MORE than 5000 recreational cyclists are sweating on Friday’s weather forecast with extreme heat threatening to cancel the Bupa Challenge Tour.
Friday’s forecast was yesterday upgraded from 38C to 41C which would likely mean automatic cancellation of the 128km ride from Norwood to Uraidla in line with the Tour Down Under’s hot weather policy.
The event could be shortened if the forecast top was expected to be between 36C and 39C. A forecast on Thursday night of higher than 40C would mean organisers would likely call it off — but they can use their discretion if they believe the temperature would not be extreme for the duration of the ride, which most entrants expect to complete before lunch.
Organisers can leave any decision until 5.30am on Friday but are likely to make the call by Thursday at the latest.
Professional riders are set to meet with TDU race officials tomorrow morning to discuss whether to shorten the 146.5km Stage 3 from Glenelg to Victor Harbor on Thursday which is the first of two predicted 41C days.
A decision was made last year to shorten the opening stage to Lyndoch when the mercury hit 40C mid-race and riders representative Adam Hansen said the same thing could happen tomorrow by removing a lap of the Victor Harbor finishing circuit.
But Hansen stressed that the professional peloton should not be surprised by the hot weather and may have to deal with it.
The stage is scheduled to start at 11am and finish about 2.50pm.
“I think 41C is not too bad, it will be a hot day but it’s Tour Down Under,” Hansen told The Advertiser yesterday.
“Before every stage, Mike (Turtur), myself and the UCI review the weather and see what it’s about.
“On one side of things we have to make sure it runs smoothly and not destroy the race, because it is the TDU, it’s a hot race so it’s no surprise.
“But Lyndoch last year we were able to reduce the laps and it was in everyone’s favour.”
The official temperature was 41 during Stage 1 last year, which was reduced from 145km to 118.5km, but some said their bike computers were registering as high as 51C on the open roads.
Originally published as Tour Down Under 2018: Extremely hot weather may force cancellation of Bupa Challenge