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Special jersey to beat the extreme heat in Doha

The heat blanketing the Middle East is affecting the 2016 UCI Road World Championships in Doha. Riders have complained of extreme conditions and have exhibited signs of heat exhaustion, with several individuals requiring medical assistance. To give the Italian National Road Cycling Team an innovative edge, the Castelli Speed Research Unit and Politecnico di Milano have developed a jersey with titanium dioxide sun protection and cooling panels to help the riders beat the heat. Beating the heat, or rather minimizing its negative effects on performance. It’s not just the temperature that matters, but also the humidity and airflow. And what does it mean to race in these conditions? When the body temperature rises above 39 degrees (to the heat generated by muscular effort is added that from the sun’s radiation), oxygen transfer from hemoglobin to body tissues is impaired, with a corresponding decline in performance. A 2 percent reduction in weight due to dehydration reduces performance by 8 to 10 percent. Heat dissipation takes place largely through the evaporation of sweat. However, excessive sweating leads to the most dangerous enemy, dehydration, because there is a limit to how much fluid an individual can replenish. A 2 percent reduction in weight ...

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