Stijn Vandenburgh did several bottle collections from the team car throughout the day - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Vandenburgh speaks with team manager Laurent Biondi ahead of the stage start in Glenelg - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The team mechanic has a simple plan of bikes on the roof, so the correct spare is ready for any bike changes during the race - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
General Manager of the team Vincent Lavenu examines the general classification and stage details - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
In the neutralised zone of a scorching stage 3, Team Sunweb wore ice vests to keep the core down - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Stage 3 traversed through McLaren Vale to the coast at Victor Harbor - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Enric Mas of Quick-Step Floors works his way through the team cars to rejoin the bunch - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Mechanic Michael Szkolnik passes ice filled stockings to the riders to help battle the heat - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A huge cooler chest stored enough bidons for half the stage, along with plenty of ice - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Highs of 47 degrees were reported, and the stage was consistently above 40 degrees Celsius - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A musette full of energy gels is on hand for ease of access - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The race radio is attached to the centre console via some toe straps - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Laurent Biondi checks his race notes during the stage - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Vincent Lavenu speaks to the riders via the team radio - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Stockings are filled with ice and placed on rider's backs in an effort to stay cool - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Stage 3 featured two intermediate sprints and a King of the Mountain competition - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Two helicopters follow the Tour Down Under providing live television coverage of the race - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Fans line the road at the KOM competition at The Range - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Nans Peters did his fair share of bottle collections for the team - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Matteo Montaguti chases back on to the back of the peloton - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Pierre Latour cools himself down in the sweltering conditions - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Even Lotto-Soudal's team leader dropped back to grab his teammates bottles during the stage - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Current race leader Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott) is chaperoned back to the peloton by Jack Bauer - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Bottles were taken by AG2R La Mondiale riders at every opportunity - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The riders also dropped back occasionally to top up the the sunscreen throughout the stage - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
AG2R La Mondiale are on Factor bikes for a second season - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Nans Peters drops back for more bidons from Laurent Biondi - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Matteo Montaguti heads back into the race following a nature break - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The AG2R La Mondiale kit is provided by Rosti Maglificio and Ekoi supply the team with helmets and eyewear - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The sweltering temperatures left salt stains on the iconic team kit of AG2R La Mondiale - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The stretchy jerseys accomadated up to nine bidons in a single run - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The race convoy passes through Victor Harbor on the final lap of the stage - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
Two helicopters follow the Tour Down Under providing live television coverage of the race - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The scorching weather in South Australia offered a real risk of heat stroke, sunburn and dehydration for those just spectating on stage 3 of the WorldTour opener. For those racing, fluid intake, core temperature control and skin protection all needed to be managed carefully throughout the stage simply as a matter of safety.
French-registered AG2R La Mondiale welcomed Cyclingnews into their team car for the day to sit alongside directeur sportif Laurent Biondi, mechanic Michaël Szkolnik and team general manager Vincent Lavenu, for an insight into how supporting the squad is the order of the day.
A short drive out of Adelaide, stage 3 began in the seaside town of Glenelg where temperatures were already in the high 30s. Minutes before the stage was even underway, medical assistance was required at the start line for a spectator who had passed out in the extreme heat.
While this announcement was being read on the public-address system, AG2R La Mondiale DS Laurent Biondi, likely unaware of the situation metres away, talks through the stage with veteran domestique Stijn Vandenbergh and the remainder of the team who liberally apply sunscreen and make any final kit adjustments ahead of stage start.
Each of the seven riders for AG2R La Mondiale began the stage with two full bidons, and by the time the squad crossed the line in Victor Harbor 120km later, more than 80 bottles had been passed from the team car to the riders.
A huge cooler chest stored enough bidons for half the stage, along with plenty of ice - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
A cool box full of ice in the back of the team car kept bottles cold — half of which were water and the other half a mixture of electrolytes, sugars and minerals. The team's mechanic filled stockings with ice from the cooler ready to pass to riders throughout the race.
The stockings let the cool water run off the ice as it melts, helping to regulate the riders' core temperatures as they race.
Nans Peters drops back for more bidons from Laurent Biondi - Josh Evans/Immediate Media
The stage took just over three hours to complete and every 10–15 minutes an AG2R rider dropped back to the team car to collect a round of bottles for their teammates.
Water bottles were stored in cages and the front of jerseys, and electrolyte mix was kept in the rear pockets for easier distribution when back in the bunch.
The sheer consumption of bottles meant a rendezvous with the team's other support vehicle mid-way through the race for a resupply was necessary, where dozens of filled and chilled bottles were bundled into musettes and flung through the rear windows of the team car onto our laps.
In the end, the stage ran faultlessly for a team that is one of the longest-standing outfits in the peloton and the first real challenge of the 2018 season was completed.