For the first time in the 123-year history of the Tour de France, race organisers have shortened a stage because of dangerously high temperatures. On Saturday, as riders recovered from an eighth day of racing in heat exceeding 35°C, the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) announced that Sunday’s ninth stage between Malemort and Ussel would be reduced from 185.5 kilometres to 155.5 km. The decision came after Météo-France placed the Corrèze department—and 36 others—on its highest-level red alert for an “exceptionally intense heatwave.” Christian Prudhomme, the Tour director, called the move “responsible” and said it would not alter the sporting challenge: all four categorised climbs remain on the truncated route.

The extreme conditions have pushed riders and teams to their logistical limits. Temperatures on the asphalt have neared 47°C, prompting the ASO to distribute 450 kg of ice daily, allow up to 200 bidons per team, and deploy three “cooling motorbikes” instead of the usual one. Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier, who won his second consecutive stage on Saturday, welcomed the shortening. “Definitely it’s not a bad idea,” he said. “We are now one week of racing, it was always above 35 degrees. It’s definitely a fight to have water, ice and drinks.” Race leader Tadej Pogačar, who thanked organisers when told of the change, had been preparing for another “35°C to 40°C” furnace. The Slovenian’s UAE Emirates squad have relied on ice vests and socks stuffed down jerseys to keep body temperatures in check.

On the road, Saturday’s flat 189-kilometre run from Périgueux offered little respite. A solo breakaway by Belgian Liam Slock lasted nearly 179 kilometres before he was swallowed up with 1.5 km to go, setting up a mass sprint. Merlier muscled through a narrow gap to beat Eritrean Biniam Girmay and Dutchman Olav Kooij, repeating his triumph from the previous day. Colombian Fernando Gaviria, sprinting for Movistar, finished 13th after being boxed in during the final metres. No time gaps emerged among the general classification contenders; Pogačar remains in yellow with a 2min 42sec lead over Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard.

Mexican rider Isaac Del Toro, who crossed the line safely in 46th place, held onto third overall and the white jersey as best young rider. The 22-year-old from Ensenada has been a revelation, and Latin American media tracked his progress closely, noting he now sits only 3min 27sec behind Pogačar. Colombia’s Egan Bernal finished 57th on the day but climbed to 11th in the general classification, while compatriot Harold Tejada sits 20th. As the peloton braces for another scorching day in the Massif Central, the shortened stage may offer some relief, but with gradients touching 7.7% and temperatures set to soar, the race’s infernal rhythm is unlikely to ease.