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Tour de France shortens ninth stage by 30 km due to heatwave
Tadej Pogacar called for a complete overhaul of the Tour de France schedule after the ninth stage on July 12. The Slovenian rider said racing should avoid July and August in hot regions. Le Monde reported the stage had been shortened due to extreme temperatures.
Jul 12, 2:34 PM·1m read1 source
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Tadej Pogacar said on July 12 that the Tour de France shortened its ninth stage by around 30 kilometers because of intense heat and that he would eliminate July and August races in hot locations if he controlled the calendar. The Tour de France leader spoke after completing the ninth stage, which organizers shortened by around 30 kilometers because of a red alert for intense heat.
The 154.6-kilometer route ran from Malemort to Ussel in the central Corrèze region.
Every day since the 113th Tour began in Barcelona nine days earlier, riders have faced temperatures up to 35°C and at times 40°C, Le Monde reported. Pogacar rejected proposals to start stages at 10:00 am, noting that riders would still finish in peak heat. He said starts at 8:00 am or earlier would be required to reduce exposure, though he added that the body can adapt to early wake-ups.
His UAE Emirates-XRG team handled cooling and hydration effectively, Pogacar stated. Australian rider Luke Durbridge recalled prior Tours where roads melted and noted that on-road temperatures had stayed above 35°C every day of the current race. French rider Guillaume Martin said the sustained heat widens time gaps on demanding stages, such as the one to Gavarnie in the Pyrénées.
