As Europeans sweat it out and lose a few kilograms in a summer heatwave, the continents’ top athletes will be taking the rising temperatures in their stride as the mercury threatens to hit 40 degrees over the weekend.
After record temperatures of 35.7oC at Wimbledon on Wednesday led to a ballboy collapsing, the world’s top cyclists can expect similar searing temperatures when the Tour de France starts in Utrecht today with a time-trial around the Dutch city.
“The cyclists are accustomed to the heat, each stage in the Pyrenees is just as hot,” a Tour de France official told SID, an Agence France-Presse subsidiary on Thursday.
Photo: Reuters
However, spare a thought for those competing in tomorrow’s European Ironman Championships in Frankfurt, at which elite triathletes will spend at least eight hours swimming 3.8km, cycling 180km before finishing it off with a 42.195km run — the marathon distance — in blazing heat.
“I’ll drink more and never miss an aid station to grab an energy bar or drink,” Germany’s world champion Sebastian Kienle said, before coolly adding: “We have completed many races at such temperatures.”
Nevertheless, organizers have 14 tonnes of ice on standby to cool the field of competitors and spectators alike in the event, which acts as a qualifier for the world championships in Hawaii.
“Sunday is not a day to put up a personal best,” race director Bjoern Steinmetz said, while Joachim Mester, the head of training science at Germany’s Sports University in Cologne, had three pieces of advice for those competing: “Above all, drink, drink, drink.”
Those competing in the Beach Volleyball World Championships in the Netherlands admit the heat from the sand underfoot took some getting used to.
“It was a good preparation for Rio,” quipped Germany’s Kay Matysik, who won bronze at the world championships two years ago and hopes to compete at next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Heavy thunderstorms forecast in Berlin threaten to disrupt the Modern Pentathlon World Championships in Germany’s capital tomorrow, while Lewis Hamilton and the rest of the Formula One field will sweat it out in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
The soccer season might have only just finished, but Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund are making sure the drinks booths are fully stocked as they expect 35,000 fans and 36oC heat for tomorrow’s family festival in the west German city.
The club’s Web site warns: “plenty of sun cream and lots of drinks” with free transport laid on to allow fans to escape the heat en route.
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