Amid the heat wave sweeping across Europe, Tour de France organizers have come under fire for rumors that 10,000 liters of water were sprayed over the route of stage 15 (205 km from Lodé to Carcassonne) to keep the pavement from melting under the peloton's tires, ASO said on Sunday. denied that the actual amount of water used was anywhere near this figure.

In the words of Andre Bankara, course manager on Saturday, "We run vehicles with 10,000 liters (2600 gallons) of water on the road. Hundreds of people have died in southern Europe during the heatwave, thought to be the result of climate change, and water is in short supply.

When interviewed by Le Parisien (opens in new tab), Bancara clarified that they did not actually use that much water and did not hose down the entire course.

"10,000 liters is one of our tank capacities. We use a 2,000-liter tank," Bancala said Sunday.

"But we're not doing 200 kilometers of road. It won't help."

Pierre-Yves Touaud, deputy director of the Tour de France, also told Le Parisien magazine." "Watering the course for the comfort of the riders is obviously out of the question,"

Touaud said,

"The reality is very different and concerns only the safety of the riders. He said that a pre-race reconnaissance had identified a short section of 150-200 meters where the tar could melt and make it slippery, and water was sprayed only there.

"Otherwise, runners could slip and get seriously injured. We are to blame." The figure of 10,000 liters spilled is outlandish. We fully respect the environment and we don't do everything."

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After 135 km of reconnaissance, Bancala found the route to be in better condition than expected. 'So far, we've fed about 20 meters and used about 50 liters of water,' he said. The 190-kilometer mark approaching the finish is already the target. There is a corner where it could have deteriorated. But it will be 350 liters at most. We hardly used any of it."

Climate change is causing deep concern as athletes are forced to contend with harsher conditions. Protesters against climate change measures suspended the race on stage 10 and again on Sunday en route to Carcassonne. This time, the group was quickly removed from the road with 64 kilometers to go as a breakaway group passed through.