Sunday’s ninth stage of the Tour de France has been shortened by 30km due to a red heatwave alert in the Corrèze département of central France. The stage from Malemort to Ussel will now be raced over 155.5km instead of the scheduled 185.5.
In a statement the Tour said: “This decision aims to ensure that the race can take place under conditions compatible with the red heatwave alert.”
Temperatures close to 40C have followed the peloton since it left Barcelona, with calls made by some in the race to move stages to much earlier start times to avoid the heat of the afternoon.
As the Tour began, the French government granted regional authorities the right to cancel or adapt stages if necessary. Stage three, through the Pyrenees to the ski station at Les Angles, was run without the publicity caravan and spectators were banned from the roadside due to nearby wildfires.
Pascal Chanteur, the president of the riders’ union, which has been lobbying for much earlier stage starts due to higher summer temperatures, said: “It’s better to change the start times than to risk cancelling a stage.”
Tim Merlier, who took his second stage win in Bergerac, 24 hours after sprinting to victory in Bordeaux, was among those to welcome the decision. “It’s not a bad idea in my opinion,” the Belgian said. “We have now had one week of racing, always in 35 degrees. It’s a fight to have water, ice and drinks between the cars, so for me it’s a good idea to shorten the stage. It’s only my third Tour, but every day has been higher than 35 degrees and I’m not used to it. It’s the first time [I have experienced that] in my career.”
On a perfect stage for lovers of pale-stoned chateaux and crystalline swimming pools, the Tour leader, Tadej Pogacar, rode untroubled into Bergerac. The Slovene already appears to have seen off his rival Jonas Vingegaard and, with Monday’s rest day looming, will now be planning the strategy to ensure his UAE Team Emirates XRG colleague Isaac del Toro leapfrogs the Dane into second place.
Even shortened, Sunday’s hilly stage, with two sharp and steep climbs in the final 50km, may offer an opportunity for Pogacar to increase his advantage. Vingegaard’s Visma-Lease a bike sports director, Marc Reef, said his riders would be alert to Pogacar and insisted his team were not giving up.
“If I throw in the towel like that I would not be a good DS,” Reef said. “We will look for every chance all the way to Paris.”
Reef said of Pogacar’s Pyrenean: “The gap was not that big on the Tourmalet and we believe in our plan. We have a lot to fight for and the lead is only 2:40. Jonas lost it in one day and we can gain it in one day. That’s something we believe in.
“That [fightback] starts with a plan and belief in ourselves. Our strategy is still there and the big stages where the big differences are going to be made are still coming.”
Vingegaard’s teammate Sepp Kuss rejected the suggestion that Pogacar’s dominance was demoralising. “The Tour’s second half will suit Jonas better. You see how strong UAE is, with Pogacar and Del Toro, and there are not many guys who can follow them. It’s more about being creative to use our strength. You have to think outside the box a bit.”
Tom Pidcock, meanwhile, is regrouping after slipping to almost 10 minutes behind Pogacar in the Pyrenees. “I’m realistic,” the Briton said. “I know that my shape is not 100%, but in the Tour you can’t really miss work in the build up. It shows.”
