The Secret Pro is very concerned about the heat during the World Championships in Qatar next year. Sporza spoke to elite coach Paul Van den Bosch about the topic. "Precautions must be taken, but it is a shared responsibility," says Van den Bosch.

Next year the World Championships will take place in Qatar. "Irresponsible" is the a common perception in the peloton. Today The Secret Pro, an anonymous rider in the peloton, complained about the tough conditions.

Topsport coach Paul Van den Bosch is less negative, but highlights a number of important issues. "It is understandable that riders in the peloton are asking questions. Extreme heat, I'm talking about temperatures of 40 degrees, could be a health issue.

"With heat, the body need the blood to circulate faster to cool down. By extreme heat there is a chance that the body cannot keep up. In all likelihood, there will be a lot of withdrawals," says Van den Bosch.

"We have also seen in in this year's Tour: in extreme heat the course becomes much harder and in the Tour of California the it has sometimes been unbearable too, with the rider from Quick-Step (Pieter Serry, ed.) falling off the bike 300m from the line."

"Precautions must be taken to reduce the impact. This can be done by letting the riders acclimatise and make sure that they can cool down," Van den Bosch continues.

"Dehydration can lead to heat cramps. It can develop into nausea and at worst a heat coma. I do not want to be dramatic and say that there will be deaths, but it's not harmless.

"Riders, men, women and youngsters, should also be told that it is important to drink plenty and make sure that they have enough salt."

According to Van den Bosch, the responsibility is with the Worlds organizers. The participants must also prepare. "On the course, sufficient cooling must be provided. The teams themselves should ensure that riders can get used to the conditions."

"I also believe that the UCI has enough common sense and will seek to limit the damage as much as possible," concludes Van den Bosch.