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Extreme heat forces Vuelta a España to shorten Stage 15

From El Nacional · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire From a news agency New plan
  • Organizers cut Stage 15 of the Vuelta a España from 189.7 kilometres to 110.2 kilometres and delayed the start to 1 p.m. GMT.
  • The decision followed activation of the extreme-temperature protocol and concerns raised by riders about the heat in Andalusia.
  • Spain’s weather agency issued an orange heat warning for the route, where temperatures of 40°C or higher are expected.

The Vuelta a España will cut Sunday’s Stage 15 nearly in half as an extreme-heat protocol takes effect in southern Spain. The route from Palma del Río to Córdoba will shrink from 189.7 kilometres to 110.2, while the rolling start will move to 1 p.m. GMT.

Organizers said they made the decision after a meeting involving the commissaires’ college, teams, riders and race management. Temperatures along the route through Andalusia are expected to reach 40°C or more, and Spain’s State Meteorological Agency has issued an orange warning, its second-highest heat alert.

The decision was taken after the extreme-temperature protocol was activated and following a meeting between representatives of the commissaires’ college, the teams, the riders and the management of La Vuelta.

· La Vuelta organizersThe organizers explained why they shortened and delayed Stage 15.

The change follows concerns voiced by several riders during the race’s stages in Andalusia. Enric Mas, the race leader, said after Stage 13 on Friday that measures would have to be taken if the heat continued at the same intensity.

The Vuelta is one of cycling’s three major stage races, alongside the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France. In July, the Tour de France also shortened a stage because of intense heat, the first such reduction in its history.

If it continues to be this hot, measures will have to be taken.

· Enric MasThe race leader warned after Stage 13 that continued heat would require action.
About this summary

Originally published by El Nacional in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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