UAE team boss Matxin challenges cycling’s TV schedule after dangerous extreme heat

Speaking to Eurosport in temperatures that have made conditions increasingly difficult for the peloton, Matxin welcomed the decision to shorten the stage but suggested cycling should be prepared to go further when temperatures rise above 40 degrees Celsius.

“The feeling of heat is often difficult to appreciate on television, but when you are here you realise what it is really like,” Matxin told Eurosport.

“Racing a stage in these conditions can cause serious problems. We have already seen riders abandon because of heatstroke and two days ago we also lost Pavel Sivakov because of the heat.”

For Matxin, those incidents underline that the discussion is no longer simply about rider comfort or sporting preference.

“In many cases these can be dangerous situations,” he said. “There is a heat protocol and I think the organisation made a good decision by shortening the stage.”

But the UAE boss believes cycling should also reconsider when races are held.

“Why don’t we look at a different schedule as well?” he asked. “I know that might not be ideal for television, but when it is 42, 46 or even 50 degrees, why not find an alternative time?”

Many major races are scheduled to finish in the late afternoon to maximise television audiences, which can leave riders competing during the hottest part of the day.

Matxin believes that approach deserves scrutiny when extreme temperatures become a safety issue.

“Starting and racing at three in the afternoon, when the heat is at its strongest, does not really help the heat protocol either,” he said. “So I would put that idea forward as well. Television may also have to adapt to these situations.”

Opinions inside the peloton are not always unanimous when it comes to racing in extreme weather. Some riders cope better with high temperatures than others, while changes to a stage can inevitably favour certain teams or riders.

For the Spaniard, however, those sporting considerations should not dictate decisions concerning rider health.

“We have to try to be neutral in these situations,” he said. “When we lose a rider because of heatstroke, that should not be the moment to think about whether changing the race benefits or disadvantages someone.”

“I don’t want to get into whether one rider benefits more or another loses out. We have to find a neutral solution where everyone is competing in equal conditions.”

The same argument, he acknowledged, applies when organisers shorten a stage. Any alteration to a race can change its sporting dynamic.

“Shortening a stage will benefit some riders and hurt others as well,” Matxin said. “But I think looking for the common good is the most sensible approach and, above all, a question of respect.”