A heat spike in Oklahoma forced the organizers of Tulsa Tough to put safety first and cancel Sunday's Gran Fondo.

Temperatures pushed into the 90s with high humidity. Riders registered for the 103-mile route were automatically transferred to the 65-mile Medio Fondo.

Tulsa Tough is a three-day festival with crit racing from Friday to Sunday and road rides on both Saturday and Sunday. The crits and Saturdays Gran, Medio and Piccolo all went off as scheduled, but as a precaution Sunday's longest route was called off.

"We have made this decision because the safety of our riders is our number one priority ... We believe most riders have not adjusted to the weather yet," the event announced.

On Tulsa Tough's Facebook page there were reports of riders and marshals suffering in the heat on Saturday. Most comments were supportive of the cancellation although there was one jibe about "Tulsa Not So Tough".

 "Folks, the Oklahoma summer is here and it's here in a big way. Saturday was the first truly hot day after a relatively mild spring. Normally, the heat increases more gradually and our bodies become accustomed to the heat, humidity and intense sunshine. This year is different - the weather has changed more suddenly," said Malcolm McCollam announcing the change.

With the back-to-back days of riding, Tulsa Tough runs the Double Tough challenge for those who complete both Saturday and Sunday's Gran Fondos before the course closes. With the cancellation, the 2016 Double Tough jersey was awarded to those completing the Gran Fondo/Medio Fondo combination.

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