Eddy Merckx has spoken of his belief that the Worlds road races will not be shortened due to the heat. He says the heat will be bearable and riders will not race for less than they are supposed to.

“Well, in California they raced in 40-plus degrees and I think that was also the case at the Vuelta a España,” the Belgian told La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper. “Here it’s less than 40 degrees. The temperature is slightly lowering from now through Sunday and Qatar is a peninsula, so there’s always wind. No, we are not talking about impossible conditions.”

Merckx won the Worlds three times in his brilliant career: in 1967, 1971 and 1974.