Tour de France Cuts Stage 9 by 30km as Corrèze Faces Red Heatwave Alert
Updated
Updated · Outside Magazine · Jul 11
Tour de France Cuts Stage 9 by 30km as Corrèze Faces Red Heatwave Alert
3 articles · Updated · Outside Magazine · Jul 11
Summary
Stage 9 will be reduced to 155.5 km from 185.5 km on Sunday after Corrèze was placed under France’s highest red heatwave alert.
Temperatures are expected to reach about 100F, prompting organizers to reroute the peloton from Brive-la-Gaillarde via the D921 toward Lanteuil before it rejoins the original course with 147.8 km left to Ussel.
Tim Merlier, who won Stage 8, backed the move after a week of racing in heat above 35C, saying riders have been struggling to secure enough water and drinks between team cars.
The change underscores how extreme heat has shaped the 2026 Tour since the race left Barcelona, after France’s national cycling championships were also shortened in late June.