Vuelta a Espana stage 15 shortened over extreme heat

Vuelta a Espana organisers have shortened stage 15 from Palma del Rio to Cordoba because of forecast extreme heat, cutting the route by about 80 kilometres.

Organisers Unipublic said the stage on Sunday, September 6, had been changed after the activation of the race's extreme weather protocol. The route was originally planned at 189.7 kilometres but has been reduced to 110.2 kilometres.

Temperatures in Cordoba were expected to reach as high as 39C. Unipublic said the decision was made to protect riders' health and provide suitable conditions for the competition.

The decision follows a similar measure at the Tour de France earlier in the summer. Tour organisers ASO, which owns Unipublic, cut 30 kilometres from the ninth stage in July after authorities placed France's Correze region on red alert for an exceptionally intense heatwave. AFP reported that it was the first time in the Tour's history that a stage had been shortened because of heat.