Tour de France stage 9 shortened due to heatwave red alert
Stage 9 of the Tour de France will be reduced in distance by 30km due to the soaring temperature forecast for Sunday.
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The department of Corrèze has been placed on red alert for a heatwave by Météo-France, and the Tour has responded to that warning by cutting stage 9 from from 185.5km to 155.5km in length.
“This decision has been made necessary by the exceptional weather conditions. It aims to ensure that the race can take place under conditions compatible with the red heatwave alert,” the Tour organisation said in a statement on Saturday evening.
The stage will start from Malemort as planned, but the route will not now include the 30km loop south of the town. It will rejoin the originally planned route at Lanteuil with 147.8km to go.
The alteration shortens the stage but should not unduly change its character, with the climbs of the category 3 Côte de Naves, the category 2 Suc au May, the category 3 Côte de la Croix du Pey and the category 4 Mont Bessou all featuring ahead of the finish in Ussel.
The decision to shorten stage 9 of the Tour comes at the end of an opening week characterised by soaring temperatures that have regularly been above 35°C.
Ahead of stage 4, the UCI announced an alteration to its rules on feeding due to the temperatures, with teams permitted to hand up musettes to their riders in feed zones that had previously been designated for bottles only.
Matteo Trentin (Tudor) was among those to criticise the tardiness of the measure, and he also called for a more serious discussion about measures to offset rising temperatures in the years ahead.
“I don’t know if it’s safe, but it’s not healthy at all,” Trentin told Wielerflits of the conditions on this Tour.
“It’s always been hot, but these recent heatwaves are very different. It doesn’t get cool in the night anymore. Climate change is here. It’s not like it’s coming next year; it’s already here in this moment.
“We need to sit at the table and seriously talk about it, so we’re not here in another year saying we need to talk about it.”
Pogacar grateful for the decision
Tour de France general director Christian Prudhomme said the decision to shorten stage 9 had been welcomed by the riders, with technical director Thierry Gouvenou informing Tadej Pogačar of the alteration before the stage.
“When Thierry Gouvenou mentioned it to Pogačar earlier, the rider actually thanked him," Prudhomme told reporters including Cyclism'Actu TV.
Prudhomme also highlighted the additional measures being taken to manage the heat, including increased ice supplies and extra cooling support for teams.
“You have to realise that we’re handing out 450 kg of ice to the teams every day now; for instance, it used to be 350 kg.”
While acknowledging the wider climate issue, Prudhomme played down the idea that the stage change itself was historic.
“We should reserve the word ‘historic’ for things that truly merit it. History is something else.”
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