Matthew Brennan voiced disbelief at the conditions riders faced on Sunday during stage 15 of the Vuelta a España, after organisers shortened the stage because of high temperatures and Wout van Aert took a sprint victory in Córdoba.
"It’s 41 degrees average," Brennan said. "When I was on the climb at the start it was 44, and at that point you start thinking: ‘What are we doing?’ A normal office person has to have the temperature set at 20 degrees or whatever, and I’m sure that the UCI [cycling's governing body] office will have their 20 as well." Brennan is a teammate of Van Aert at Visma Lease a Bike.
Brennan also warned of the health risks riders faced, saying "it wouldn’t surprise me if some got heatstroke," comments that underline growing concerns among participants about exposure to extreme heat during races. Race organisers shortened the stage in response to the temperatures.
Spain's Enric Mas retained the red jersey as leader of the overall classification following the altered stage. Brennan's remarks are likely to add to debate over how organisers and the sport's governing bodies should balance competition schedules with rider safety in extreme weather.