“We need to be careful” – Tadej Pogacar warns of heat dangers as Tour de France cuts Stage 9 by 30km amid red heatwave alert
Cycling
Tadej Pogacar has warned that the extreme heat is tiring the Tour de France peloton even during its easier stages, with constant cooling, hydration and nutrition required to limit the damage.
The yellow jersey spoke after safely completing Stage 8 in Bergerac. Shortly afterwards, the Tour cut 30 kilometres from Sunday’s stage between Malemort and Ussel after Correze was placed under a red heatwave alert.
Pogacar feeling cumulative effects of Tour heatwave
Stage 8 contained little climbing and was controlled towards a bunch sprint eventually won by Tim Merlier. Temperatures again exceeded 30°C, continuing an opening week in which the peloton has repeatedly relied on ice, water and additional cooling measures.
“Just like every day: a lot of water and continuing to cool the body down,” Pogacar explained during his post-stage flash interview. “You just have to pass the time on the bike in this heat.”
Conditions have tested the peloton since the Grand Depart in Barcelona. Tom Pidcock was left “cooked” by Stage 3 to Les Angles, while temperatures exceeded 40°C during the following day’s 181.9-kilometre route from Carcassonne to Foix.
Additional water points were introduced and feeding regulations relaxed on Stage 4. Stage 6 over the Col du Tourmalet then entered the red zone of the UCI’s Extreme Weather Protocol.
“The heat does have an impact, yes,” Pogacar continued. “I think anybody who is outside can tell that the body gets tired in the heat. Even if it is an easier day, we still need to be careful, continue cooling down and take care of our nutrition, hydration and everything else.”
Red alert forces first Tour route change
Meteo-France escalated its warning for Correze to red as exceptionally intense temperatures continued across the region. Organisers responded by reducing Stage 9 from 185.5 to 155.5 kilometres.
The race will leave its original route during the neutralised section and travel directly from Brive-la-Gaillarde towards Lanteuil, removing the opening 30 kilometres. The start is scheduled for 1.45pm and the finish for approximately 5.30pm.
Pogacar had already anticipated a more demanding day after the two successive sprint stages to Bordeaux and Bergerac. “We will see what happens tomorrow,” he said. “It will definitely be a tough day for us, but we are ready.”
Pogacar will defend a 2:42 advantage over Jonas Vingegaard on the revised 155.5-kilometre route to Ussel.
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.
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- 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
- Yeah his ride at World's was unreal. Over 6 W/kg for over an hour and a half...he single handedly destroyed the break.DAS11-11-2026
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