For Marc Madiot, it is time to take anti-heat measures for the well-being of the Tour de France riders. The boss of the Groupama-FDJ team reacted the day after the stifling stage between Rodez and Carcassonne on Sunday. The temperature was close to 40°C in the shade on the roads of Occitania, hurting the bodies of the runners.
“I find it disappointing that there is so little interest in the well-being of the runners, they deserve a little more consideration and respect“, he reacted Monday to the few criticisms appeared on social networks about the watering of the roads, a technique used for decades to avoid dangerous patches of molten tar for the race.I don’t even understand why the question is being asked. If we were dealing with animals, we wouldn’t ask ourselves the question of putting them in good conditions.“, added Marc Madiot, recalling that the watering of the roads mobilizes a limited quantity of water.
The “Mister Route” of the Departments of France, André Bancala, told AFP that the watering of the Tour route on Sunday by the opener truck called “Gros Léon” had required a total of 300 liters of water. That is a quantity corresponding to the equivalent of three bathtubs, according to a comparison by AFP. “Since the start of the Tour, we have intervened in three stages for this reason“, added André Bancala. “Gros Léon can hold 2,000 liters of water and, a week from the finish, the tanks are still half full“.
“We will not be able to chain days like yesterday”
In relation to the heat, Madiot mentioned several tracks, the race schedule or even the layout of the courses with “watering points for runners“.”This is the first time I have encountered such perilous situations.“said the boss of the French team, which ran its first Tour in 1982. “It is clear that we will not be able to chain days like yesterday (Sunday). You can do it once but not do it every day. It deserves consideration“.
“The runners and the greatness of the race deserve it“, he concluded. “The Tour is the event of the summer, an important meeting for many people, who don’t necessarily have the chance to go on vacation, I’m thinking of people who are in retirement homes. It’s a bit of happiness that we bring them“.