Tour de France Stage 9 Made Shorter Because It’s Super Hot!

What Is the Tour de France? (Quick ELI5)

The Tour de France is like a giant bicycle race where riders pedal across France (and sometimes nearby countries) over many days. Each day they ride a different path called a stage. The person who finishes the whole thing with the lowest total time wins.

What Happened to Sunday’s Stage?

On Sunday, the riders were supposed to do the ninth stage (the ninth day of riding). Here’s the big news:

• The stage was planned to go from a town called Malemort to another town called Ussel.
• It was supposed to be 185.5 km long (that’s about 115 miles – super far!).
• Because of a “red heatwave alert” (we’ll explain that soon) in a area of central France called Corrèze, the race bosses made it 30 km shorter.
• Now the riders will only pedal 155.5 km instead.

Important Point: A “red heatwave alert” is the highest warning from the French weather folks that it’s dangerously hot. The race wants to keep riders safe!

Why Did They Shorten It?

The people running the Tour said in a statement:

“This decision aims to ensure that the race can take place under conditions compatible with the red heatwave alert.”

In kid words: They want the bike race to happen, but they need it to be safe enough for the heat.

The Big Heat Problem

• Since the race left Barcelona (a city in Spain) the temperatures have been close to 40°C (that’s about 104°F – really, really hot!).
• Some people in the race have asked to start riding much earlier in the morning so they can avoid the hottest part of the afternoon.
• A rider named Tim Merlier said they’ve had a full week of riding in 35°C+ every day, and it’s hard to get enough water and ice from the cars that follow them.

How the Race Already Adapted Before

At the very start of the Tour, the French government said local bosses could cancel or change stages if needed because of danger.

• In Stage 3 (through the Pyrenees mountains to a ski spot called Les Angles), they did two things because of nearby wildfires:
  • The “publicity caravan” (funny cars that advertise things before the race) was not allowed.
  • Fans were banned from standing on the side of the road.

What People Are Saying (In Simple Words)

Pascal Chanteur (Head of the Riders’ Union)

He speaks for the bike riders. He has been asking for earlier start times because summers are hotter now. He said:

“It’s better to change the start times than to risk cancelling a stage.”

Meaning: Better to wake up early and ride than to not ride at all.

Tim Merlier (A Sprinter Who Keeps Winning)

Tim is from Belgium. He just won two stages in a row! First in Bordeaux, then 24 hours later in Bergerac. He likes the shortening idea:

• “It’s not a bad idea in my opinion.”
• He said every day has been over 35°C and he’s never had that in his career.
• He’s only done the Tour three times, and this heat is new and tough.
• He added that fighting to get water, ice, and drinks from the team cars is hard in this heat.

Important Point: Riders need lots of water, ice, and drinks from the team cars. In extreme heat, that becomes a struggle!

Who Is Winning the Race?

The current leader (the person with the best total time) is Tadej Pogacar from Slovenia. He rides for a team called UAE Team Emirates XRG.

• He cruised into Bergerac (a town with pretty pale-stone castles and nice pools) looking calm and strong.
• His big rival is Jonas Vingegaard from Denmark.
• Pogacar seems to have beaten Vingegaard in the mountains already.
• With a rest day on Monday, Pogacar’s team wants to help his teammate Isaac del Toro move ahead of Vingegaard into second place overall.

Even Shorter, Still Tricky!

The Sunday stage is still hilly (like rolling bumps and small mountains).

• In the last 50 km, there are two sharp, steep climbs.
• This could be a chance for Pogacar to get even further ahead.

Numbered Steps of How the Stage Will Still Be Tough:

1. Riders start in Malemort and head to Ussel.
2. They face normal roads but with high heat.
3. Near the end, they must climb two hard hills.
4. Pogacar might pedal faster there to gain more lead.

The Rival Team Isn’t Giving Up

Vingegaard rides for a team called Visma-Lease a Bike. Their sports director (the coach in the car, sometimes called DS) is Marc Reef.

• He said his team will watch Pogacar closely and not quit.
• “If I throw in the towel like that I would not be a good DS.”
• “We will look for every chance all the way to Paris” (where the race ends).

Marc Reef also said:

• The time gap on a mountain called Tourmalet wasn’t huge.
• Vingegaard is only 2 minutes 40 seconds behind Pogacar.
• “Jonas lost it in one day and we can gain it in one day.”

His plan: believe in themselves, because bigger mountain stages are still coming.

Sepp Kuss (Vingegaard’s Teammate)

He says Pogacar’s lead isn’t scary:

• The second half of the Tour suits Jonas better.
• UAE team is super strong (Pogacar and del Toro), but they need to “think outside the box” – that means be creative to use their own strengths.

Tom Pidcock (British Rider)

• He fell almost 10 minutes behind Pogacar in the Pyrenees.
• He says realistically his fitness isn’t 100% because he missed training before the race, and the Tour shows it.

A Quick Side Note

The original report also mentioned a newsletter called “The Hotspot” that talks about how sports and climate change connect. There was also a photo of Remco Evenepoel crossing the line in Bergerac. But the main story is the heat and the race!

Summary

To wrap it up like a tidy package:

• Stage 9 of the Tour de France was cut from 185.5 km to 155.5 km because of a dangerous red heatwave alert in central France.
• It’s been super hot (near 40°C) since the start in Barcelona, causing riders to ask for earlier starts.
• Riders like Tim Merlier and officials like Pascal Chanteur support changes to keep everyone safe.
• Tadej Pogacar leads, with Jonas Vingegaard trailing by 2:40. Vingegaard’s team promises to fight back.
• Even the shorter stage has tough climbs where Pogacar could extend his lead.
• Other riders like Tom Pidcock are struggling but realistic about their shape.

FAQ (Your Curious Questions Answered)

1. What is a “stage” in the Tour de France?
A stage is just one day’s portion of the whole bike race. It’s like a chapter in a book – each day they ride a new route.

2. Why is a red heatwave alert such a big deal?
In France, a red alert is the highest level of heat warning. It means it’s so hot that it can hurt people’s health. The race doesn’t want riders to get sick, so they change plans.

3. Who is Tadej Pogacar?
He’s a Slovenian cyclist who is currently the overall leader. He’s been riding super fast and is ahead of everyone else so far.

4. Will the race still be hard even though it’s shorter?
Yes! The shortened stage still has two steep hills at the end. Hot weather makes any ride tougher, so riders still have to be careful.

5. What does “think outside the box” mean for Vingegaard’s team?
It means they need to be clever and try unusual tactics because the rival team is very strong. They can’t just ride the normal way; they must be creative.