Tour de France stage shortened due to red heatwave alert
The ninth stage of the Tour de France has been shortened by 30km due to a red heatwave alert issued for the Corrèze département in central France. The stage, originally planned to cover 185.5km from Malemort to Ussel, will now be raced over 155.5km. This decision aims to ensure the race can proceed under conditions compatible with the severe heat warning.
Temperatures have been near 40C, following the peloton since its departure from Barcelona. There have been calls from some participants to adjust stage start times to avoid the afternoon heat. The French government had previously granted regional authorities the power to cancel or adapt stages if necessary, a measure that was applied during stage three through the Pyrenees, which saw the publicity caravan and spectators banned due to nearby wildfires.
Rider and organiser reactions to heat adjustments
Pascal Chanteur, president of the riders’ union, which has advocated for earlier stage starts due to rising summer temperatures, stated that changing start times is preferable to risking stage cancellations. Tim Merlier, who secured his second stage win in Bergerac, welcomed the decision to shorten the stage. He noted that racing for a week in temperatures consistently above 35 degrees makes it challenging to access water, ice, and drinks between support vehicles.
Organisers, ASO, confirmed the alteration to stage nine, citing the “exceptional intensity” of the heat. A statement indicated that Meteo-France placed the Corrèze department on a red heatwave alert. The start of stage nine has also been delayed by 10 minutes, now scheduled to commence at 13:45.
The stage will begin with a procession through Brive-la-Gaillarde before joining the adapted route and concluding in Ussel around 17:30. This year’s Tour de France has seen high temperatures throughout many stages, with forecasts indicating they could exceed 40°C on Sunday.
Race dynamics amid challenging conditions
Despite the challenging conditions, Tadej Pogacar, the Tour leader, rode into Bergerac without significant issues. The Slovene holds an advantage of 2’42” over Jonas Vingegaard in the general classification. With a rest day approaching, Pogacar is reportedly strategising to help his UAE Team Emirates XRG teammate, Isaac del Toro, move into second place ahead of Vingegaard.
Even with the shortened distance, Sunday’s hilly stage, featuring two sharp climbs in the final 50km, could provide an opportunity for Pogacar to extend his lead. Marc Reef, sports director for Vingegaard’s Visma-Lease a bike team, affirmed that his riders would remain alert to Pogacar’s moves and stressed that the team is not conceding. Reef expressed confidence in their plan, highlighting that the lead is only 2:40 and that significant changes can occur in a single day.
Vingegaard’s teammate, Sepp Kuss, dismissed suggestions that Pogacar’s dominance was demoralising. Kuss believes the second half of the Tour will be more favourable for Jonas, noting the strength of UAE Team Emirates with both Pogacar and Del Toro. He emphasised the need for creative strategies to leverage their team’s strengths. Tom Pidcock is regrouping after falling nearly 10 minutes behind Pogacar in the Pyrenees, acknowledging that his current form is not at 100%.
The sprinters were prominent on Friday and Saturday, with Merlier securing back-to-back victories. His win on stage eight followed a strong sprint performance, allowing him to pass riders like Jasper Philipsen and Biniam Girmay. These wins have reduced the gap to Mads Pedersen in the battle for the green jersey to just 15 points.
The Tour de France continues with stage nine on Sunday, July 12, 2026.
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Source: theguardian.com
Sam Whitlock is a Sports News Writer at News-GB.org. He moved from local newspapers into digital sport. He focuses on rugby union, golf and boxing and is known for clear, deadline-driven reporting. He holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Gloucestershire and completed an NCTJ diploma. Now based in Gloucester, he plays amateur rugby and follows the fight game. “Clarity beats cleverness in breaking sport news.”