Tour de France 2026 Stage 9 slashed by 30km as red heatwave alert forces emergency route change
Cycling
Stage 9 of the 2026 Tour de France has been shortened by 30 kilometres after Meteo-France placed the Correze department under a red heatwave alert.
Sunday’s stage from Malemort to Ussel will now cover 155.5 kilometres rather than the planned 185.5. The start has also been delayed until 1.45pm, with the finish expected at approximately 5.30pm.
How the Stage 9 route will change
The race will depart from its original route during the neutralised section before taking the D921 from Brive-la-Gaillarde directly towards Lanteuil. The peloton will join the retained portion of the course with 147.8 kilometres remaining to Ussel.
The diversion removes the opening 30 kilometres but leaves the majority of the planned stage intact. Organisers have not announced any further alterations to the competitive route.
“This decision has been made necessary by the exceptional weather conditions,” the Tour confirmed. “It aims to ensure that the race can take place under conditions compatible with the red heatwave alert.”
The revised start time also reduces the length of the racing day, although riders will still spend much of the afternoon competing during the most severe heat warning issued in France.
Heat concerns have followed Tour throughout opening week
The Stage 9 intervention follows repeated warnings and visible struggles during the Tour’s opening week. Tom Pidcock described himself as “cooked” by the temperatures on Stage 3, admitting he had never experienced such a difficult race in comparable heat after fading on the final climb to Les Angles.
Temperatures then exceeded 40°C on Stage 4 from Carcassonne to Foix. Additional water points were introduced and feeding regulations relaxed, while Pogacar described managing the conditions as a logistical nightmare for teams. He also criticised increasingly late stage starts which leave riders on the road during the hottest part of the afternoon.
Stage 6 over the Col du Tourmalet subsequently entered the red zone of the UCI’s Extreme Weather Protocol, with temperatures of up to 35°C forecast alongside the first major mountain test. The protocol allows measures including additional feeding and cooling opportunities, changes to start times and distances, neutralisation or cancellation.
The red alert in Correze has now forced the first alteration to the race route. Stage 9 will begin at 1.45pm and cover 155.5 kilometres, with the peloton joining the retained section of the original course at Lanteuil.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
claps 5visitors 5
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Oy, don't insult girlsHills3312-11-2026
- lol yeah. this is a good onemij12-11-2026
- Mads is the best: I didn’t even know there were rules in cyclocross. I just thought it was a matter of: ‘Go, three, two, one, ride.’ It’s like a street fight, a kind of underground brawl. It’s the MMA of cycling he gives the best quotes.mij12-11-2026
- he's too young. he's 23, so not really a fair call yet.mij12-11-2026
- and don't forget Pidcock's departure. maybe he will never win a GT, but he knows how to light up a race.mij12-11-2026
- Bingo...I was going to say a 12 year obsessed Pogi fan girlie ! Like she's chasing a teen boy band! All glossy eyed about tadej!frieders312-11-2026
- That stint in the Pink was so good. If memory serves he struggled with the champagne cuz he'd never been on the podium before. I feel like it gave him some self-belief, and yeah - then the move to Visma to be one of their lieutenants has really brought him to the best version of himself.wrsty12-11-2026
- So, you never really compared Paul Seixas with his main rival Isaac Del Toro why jump to Pogačar? They've (Paul & Isaac) raced together here and there, and they've both shared in wins and losses, I think they should be compared to each other, even with Vingegaard and Remco first before even touching Pogačar. From your writing it's like he's better than Vingegaard, Remco and Del Toro already that his main target is now Pogačar 🤔Sadick11-11-2026
- gee i hope its a minor injury. a great rider and ambassador for the sport. get well soon Lucinda.
Davide11-11-2026 - some of lidl-treks retention and recruiting has been puzzling in the mens and womens teams.Davide11-11-2026
Loading
⚠️ Change to the route of Stage 9 as the department of Corrèze passes on red alert for a heatwave ⚠️ Météo-France has placed the department of Corrèze on red alert due to an exceptionally intense heatwave. In light of this, it has been decided to adjust the route of Stage 9 of
8 Comments