As the world's top cyclists converge on Adelaide for the Tour Down Under, Australia's sole WorldTour stage race, a local Olympian has voiced a profound sense of shame, comparing the event to hosting guests in a 'house that is visibly on fire'.
The Unbearable Heat of Competition
Maeve Plouffe, a two-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games champion, describes a punishing new reality for elite cyclists: training inside a heat chamber. "Sweat rolls off my brow as my legs roll powerless beneath me," she writes, depicting a sterile box where athletes condition themselves for increasingly extreme outdoor conditions. What was once a niche 'one percenter' advantage ahead of the Tokyo 2021 Olympics has now become a non-negotiable part of preparation, driven by stark climate science.
The data underpinning this shift is alarming. In the 26 years since the Tour Down Under began in 1999, the number of January days over 41C in Adelaide has almost tripled compared with the previous 26-year period. This relentless rise is transforming the race itself, where heat can cook a rider's senses, impair reaction times, and become the decisive factor between victory, defeat, or a dangerous crash.
A Race Against a Backdrop of Flames
Plouffe, who has raced in the event since 2018, recalls the disorienting experience of watching a European competitor drift off the road into a ditch, dazed by the conditions. The environmental drama has often overshadowed the sporting contest. In 2021, she raced a criterium in Victoria Park with plumes of smoke rising from hills in the background, a "strange feeling, racing while part of your home is up in flames."
The situation has forced cycling's governing bodies to implement extreme heat protocols. However, Plouffe highlights an uncomfortable truth: if strict cut-off rules were applied consistently, the Tour Down Under would already have seen 25 race stages cancelled. The race's very future is now in jeopardy if temperatures continue on their current trajectory.
Beyond the Peloton: Tourism and an Ironic Sponsorship
The impact extends far beyond the athletes. The race drives a significant cycling tourism economy, bringing visitors to regional bakeries and shops. These are the very communities most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Plouffe argues that while athletes are trained to manage the symptoms—the extreme heat—the root cause must be addressed.
She calls on the South Australian government to use its platform from major events like the Tour Down Under, international tennis, and LIV Golf to steer sponsors and spectators toward sustainable choices. A pivotal first step, she insists, is ending the fossil fuel sponsorship of the Tour Down Under by Santos. "You cannot sell health, human performance, and the future, while promoting businesses that actively undermine that future," she states.
Reflecting from the artificial heat of the training chamber, Plouffe identifies a profound irony: the most coordinated sporting response to climate change so far has been to teach athletes how to survive it better. Her pride in showcasing Adelaide's beautiful roads is now tempered by the shame of inviting the world to witness a region in crisis.
