Tadej Pogačar calls for radical overhaul of cycling calendar after Tour de France stage shortened due to heatwave

Tadej Pogačar has said he would change the professional cycling calendar after yesterday’s stage 9 of the Tour de France was shortened due to extreme heat, following an opening week that’s been dominated by discussions over high temperatures. 

“If I had the power I would change all the calendar and not race in July and August in hot places,” Pogačar said. “I’d do a completely different calendar, but it’s not something I can do.”

“Maybe the next step is to start the stages earlier. Yesterday there was a proposal to start at 10, but it doesn’t change anything because then you 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. But I think I’ve said enough,” he said after the stage.

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The stage from Malemort to Ussel was won by Mathieu van der Poel from a breakaway, after it was shortened by 30km because of the heatwave and Méteo-France placed the department of Corrèze on red alert. 

Van der Poel said he was initially struggling with the heat at the Tour de France. “I had some difficulties to recover even from the easier days. Already in the last few days I felt a bit better. It was easier stages, and today I finally had the legs to go for it,” he said. 

It was the best day of the race so far for Pinarello–Q36.5's Tom Pidcock, who finished third behind Van der Poel and Tobias Johannessen.  

“Riding to sign-on this morning was like opening the oven and you’re looking in and it goes in your face,” Pidcock said. “But once you started the race it wasn’t too bad.” 

The heat has been a talking point throughout the 2026 Tour de France, which has seen measures implemented to protect riders and fans. The race organisers urged fans not to attend stage 3 due to wildfires and the UCI relaxed its rules around riders accepting bidons so they can stay better hydrated. 

The riders have taken to jumping in ice baths after stages, and Netcompany-Ineos even used large containers for their arms to stay cool ahead of the opening team time trial. 

Today is the Tour de France’s first rest day, with tomorrow’s stage 10 heading from Aurillac to Le Lioran in Cantal. The department is currently under an orange alert.