The Tour de France has shortened its ninth stage by 30 kilometers due to an exceptional heatwave, marking the first time in the race's history that a stage has been altered because of high temperatures. The decision came shortly after Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier claimed his second victory of this year's Tour in the flat eighth stage from Perigueux to Bergerac.
Stage Shortened Due to Red Heat Alert
ASO, the race organizer, announced that Sunday's stage from Malemort to Ussel would be reduced from 185.5km to 155.5km, cutting out a hilly loop at the beginning. The change was prompted by a red alert declared by Meteo France for the central Correze region due to an exceptionally intense heatwave. The statement from ASO emphasized that the decision was necessary to ensure the race could take place under conditions compatible with the red alert.
Tour director Christian Prudhomme insisted that the shortened route would not alter the sporting aspect of the stage, which remains challenging with four categorized climbs, including a 4.8km ascent and gradients averaging 7.7 percent. "We're responsible organizers, we do this with authorities who are very busy elsewhere, beyond the Tour de France," Prudhomme said.
Previous Stage Changes
This is not the first time ASO has modified a stage due to unforeseen circumstances. In May, the second stage in Spain was shortened by 13.5km due to an outbreak of swine flu on a hill along the route. Last weekend, fans were asked to avoid the finish area of the third stage in the Pyrenees because of a wildfire 70km away in southwest France. The 19th stage of the 2025 Tour was also shortened due to lumpy skin disease in a herd of cattle on the Col des Saisies.
Merlier Dominates Stage 8
Merlier's victory in stage 8 was a dramatic sprint finish. Seemingly out of contention when caught out of position in the final few hundred meters, he launched a long-range charge to overtake all rivals, beating Ethiopian Biniam Girmay into second and Dutchman Olav Kooij into third. It was Merlier's fifth career stage win in his third Tour appearance and brought him within 15 points of Dane Mads Pedersen in the green jersey competition for sprinters.
"If you win one, you can win a second, and I'm happy. Three (sprint) stages, I won two. Definitely my Tour de France," Merlier said.
Riders Adapt to Heat
Merlier praised ASO for adapting to the challenging heat, noting that temperatures have consistently exceeded 35 degrees Celsius. "It's definitely a fight to have water, ice and drinks between the (support) cars. So for me, it's a good idea to shorten the stage," he added.
Reigning champion and current race leader Tadej Pogacar also acknowledged the heat, saying, "We cannot expect anything less than around 35C to 40C degrees again. We have to be ready as a team, and I think we are. We keep the same motto, go day by day, keep cooling the body and trying to survive each stage." Prudhomme noted that Pogacar thanked route director Thierry Gouvenou upon hearing of the shortened stage.
To help teams cope, organizers have been distributing 450kg of ice per day to keep riders cool.
Stage 8 Details
The 180km eighth stage in the Dordogne region, known for its castles and ancient cave drawings, was expected to end in a bunch sprint. Belgian rider Liam Slock attempted a solo breakaway with 40km remaining, having been part of a three-man escape group with Jakub Otruba and Thibault Guernalec. However, Slock was caught 1.3km from the finish line, setting up the sprint finish that Merlier dominated.
