Besanon (France): With two more stages to ride before the peloton moves into the Alps, Tour de France riders must be wary of the change in temperature, says Team Sky manager Dave Brailsford.
Most of the opening 10 stages were ridden in rainy, windy and cool conditions but now the temperatures are rising towards the 30 degrees Celsius barrier. “The temperatures we’ve had up until now have been quite cool, we’ve not really had any hot days yet. It’s coming and it can be a shock to the system. Some riders can take a day or two to adjust,” said the British cycling chief.
To prepare, Sky have a stationary exercise bike in a hot room in their team truck. On Tuesday’s rest day, Sky’s riders spent half their time training on the hot room bike and the other half riding outside.
It’s not just the Anglo-Saxons from cooler climates who notice the change, however, Frenchman Thibaut Pinot said ahead of the hilly 187.5km 11th stage from Besancon to Oyonnax, that he’s concerned.
Asked what he fears the most in the second half of the race, Pinot said: “The first heat wave. It’s been a while since I’ve had those. I’ve had a lot in training but not much in races. That’s perhaps my only weak point. We’ll have to see how my body reacts.”
The first Alpine summit finish at Chamrousse arrives Friday but before then there are two undulating stages. Vincenzo Nibali leads by 2min 23sec overall to Australian Richie Porte, with Alejandro Valverde third at 2:47. Sky’s Porte said it will be up to him and Valverde to start taking the race to the Italian Astana leader, who has proved a cut above the rest so far.
