Tour de France Shortens Stage 9 Due to ‘Red Alert’ Heat Wave

Extreme heat is forcing Tour de France organizers to shorten Sunday’s ninth stage across central France after officials issued a health alert.

In an extraordinary step, Tour organizers will cut 30km from the hilly route after authorities placed the Corrèze region under its highest level red heatwave alert.

The Tour’s been broiling under extreme heat conditions since leaving Barcelona last week.

Stage 8 winner Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) welcomed the decision.

“That’s not a bad idea,” Merlier said. “We are now one week of racing and it was always above 35 Celsius. It’s definitely a fight to have water and drinks between the cars.

“For me it’s a good idea to shorten the stage. There are not a lot of things they can do. It’s good for the organization to try something.”

With temperatures expected to hit 100 Fahrenheit in Sunday’s stage, race officials will trim the route from Malemort to Ussel from 185.5km to 155.5km.

Rather than following the original route, the peloton will leave Brive-la-Gaillarde via the D921 toward Lanteuil before rejoining the planned course with 147.8km remaining to the finish in Ussel.

“Météo-France has placed the department of Corrèze on red alert due to an exceptionally intense heatwave,” a statement read.

“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.”

Extreme heat has been at the center of the narrative of the 2026 Tour.

This is not the first time that extreme heat has altered a race. The French national cycling championships were also shortened in late June.