I think you've hit the nail on the head. At some point (preferable BEFORE an event starts), people have to take responsibility for their preparation. Read any long-distance cycling forum, and there will be ample advice on what to expect with tough, hot and/or humid events.

Surely, research by a competitor and their coach also includes finding out how peers have performed in similar conditions. There might be variations in personal physiology, but, gee, the correlations with regard to conditions are remarkable.

Then, also, the same applies to normal (commuting, touring) cycling. If the conditions are overwhelming, who would continue without adequate salt and fluid intake? Or even ride at all?

One of the interesting themes that appears in accounts of long-distance cycling is a rider's yearning for a particular food. It might be something like potato crisps or pretzels with their high salt content. Or milk drinks because of their protein and fat content. Or it might be a pizza, with its cheese and pastry that provides carbohydrates and concentrated fats.

It's a matter of reading your body as much as anything else. Experienced long-distance riders learn that. It's as applicable to people who ride in unusual conditions such as high temperatures or humidity, or who have a high power output.

As an aside, for a long-distance *event*, or even a short cycling event in extreme conditions, there should be a responsibility on the organisers and coaches to recognise the symptoms of both dehydration and hyponatremia. They should be able to recognise the need to withdraw participants who are judged to be incapable of continuing without endangering their health. In most cases, it's because of dehydration.

Certainly, in events that I organise, dehydration is a primary concern, but delitirous behaviour can be interpreted in other ways, too.