The extreme heat wave sweeping across Europe has the Tour de France organisers coming under fire for a rumoured plan to spray 10,000 litres of water on the route of stage 15 - 205km from Rodez to Carcassonne, to keep the tarmac from melting under the tyres of the peloton. The ASO denied the actual figure of water used was anywhere near that number on Sunday.
A quote from course manager André Bancala on Saturday - "We will have vehicles with 10,000 litres (2600 gallons) of water taken along the way, the regional departments are going to help us to cool the roads" - drew a lot of heat. During the heatwave - believed to be a result of climate change - hundreds have died in Southern Europe and water is in short supply.
Speaking to Le Parisien, Bancala clarified that they didn't actually use that much water, and they did not hose down the entire course.
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"10,000 litres is one capacity among many of a tank. We use a 2,000 litre tank," Bancala said on Sunday. "Water consumption is an essential subject given current events, but we are obviously not dealing with 200km of road. It wouldn't help."
Pierre-Yves Thouault, the deputy director of the Tour de France, also spoke out to Le Parisien. "It is obviously out of the question to water the course for the comfort of the riders," Thouault said
"The reality is very different and only concerns the safety of the riders." He said they identified short stretches of road - 150-200 metres long - by reconnaissance ahead of the race that were in danger of the tar melting and becoming slippery and only watered the roads there.
"Otherwise runners could slip on it and hurt themselves badly. What we would be accused of? The figure of 10,000 litres spilled is far-fetched. We are completely respectful of the environment and do not do just anything."
After 135km of recon, Bancala found the route to be in better condition than expected. "So far, we have watered about twenty meters or about 50 litres of water spent. We have already targeted kilometre 190, as we approach the finish. There are corners that could have been degraded. But at most, we will reach 350 litres. We are using very little."
Climate change is causing deep concerns as riders are forced to battle more extreme conditions. Protestors for climate action stopped the race on stage 10 and were out again en route to Carcassonne on Sunday. This time, the group were quickly removed from the road with 64km to go as the breakaway threaded their way past.
