Tadej Pogacar has called for a radical overhaul of the professional cycling calendar, urging organisers to avoid racing in July and August in hot locations after another day of stifling temperatures at the Tour de France. His comments came as Mathieu van der Poel won the shortened ninth stage from Malemort to Ussel, with Tom Pidcock finishing third.
Pogacar demands calendar change
“If I had the power I would change all the calendar and not race in July and August in hot places,” said Pogacar, a four-time Tour de France winner. “I’d do a completely different calendar, but it’s not something I can do.” He suggested starting stages earlier, noting that a proposal to start at 10am does not help because riders still finish in the heat. “You need to start at eight or nine, or even before. It’s a little bit shit, but I think the body can adapt to waking up at five o’clock in the morning and doing a stage at eight.”
Stage shortened due to heatwave
The undulating stage to Ussel featured three steep climbs in the final 80km and almost 2,700 metres of altitude gain. Despite being shortened because of the heatwave, the ferocious pace and unrelenting contours had dramatic repercussions for some riders. Pidcock, racing for Pinarello-Q36.5, described it as his best day in the Tour to date, despite a “manageable” saddle sore. “I was going super well today,” he said. “I had really good legs and was feeling really strong. But my gears stopped working, and I was out the back of the group on the last climb. When I got to the sprint I was hopeless. I don’t think I would have come around Mathieu anyway.”
Rider cooling measures
Beyond the finish line, many riders dropped their bikes and plunged into ice baths in team vans. Some teams used paddling pools and tin baths to reduce core temperatures. At Paul Seixas’s Decathlon CMA CGM team, a portable cryotherapy unit cooled riders after each stage. “You sit in a capsule at minus 120 degrees for about three minutes,” said Tiesj Benoot. “It’s even more intense than an ice bath.”
CPA calls for stronger action
The Professional Cyclists Association argued that more needed to be done to protect rider wellbeing. “This once again highlights the need to fully implement the extreme weather conditions protocol,” the CPA said. Echoing Pogacar, the CPA added that “summer race start times must evolve in order to protect athlete health” and called for discussions with all stakeholders during the winter to find a solution before the summer of 2027.
Mixed views on stage shortening
Benoot felt shortening the stage did not make much difference. “It’s 40 minutes less racing, but we’ve already been riding in this same heat for eight days,” he said. “I get the feeling ASO wants to make a statement, but other measures would benefit us more.” Tour director Christian Prudhomme said an earlier start was not possible for logistical reasons, noting that waking riders at 5am is difficult even for anti-doping controls.
Rest day offers little respite
The rest day on Monday will provide some relief, but with temperatures predicted to stay in the high thirties into the middle of next week, it will be of little comfort to those already suffering.
