The heatwave is hitting the Tour de France this Sunday, July 12th. The stage from Malemort to Ussel, in the Corrèze region, was shortened by thirty kilometers on Saturday evening. The route is thus reduced from 185,5 to 155,5 kilometers. This decision was made after Météo-France placed the department on red alert for extreme heat, the highest level of warning indicating an extreme danger to the health of the riders.
A last-minute adaptation
The organizers had to quickly adapt the route to limit the cyclists' exposure to the extreme heat. This change comes less than 24 hours before the scheduled start on Sunday morning. The red alert requires exceptional measures that the race organizers could not ignore.
This type of adjustment remains rare in the Tour de France. Shortening a stage due to extreme weather conditions demonstrates the priority given to the athletes' well-being. The riders will still face a demanding course despite the reduction in the initially planned distance for this ninth day of racing.
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