Heatwave forces Tour de France organisers to shorten stage nine

Race organizers have decided to shorten Sunday's ninth stage of the Tour de France by 30 kilometers (18.64 miles) as a precautionary measure against extreme heat. The stage, originally set to cover 185.5 km from Malemort to Ussel, will now be 155.5 km, though the start and finish points remain the same.

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Meteo-France has placed the department of Correze on red alert due to an exceptionally intense heatwave.

Organizers cited a red alert issued by Meteo-France for the Correze department due to an "exceptionally intense heatwave." The race will divert from its original path within the neutral zone, taking a different route to Ussel. This decision comes as Western Europe experienced its warmest June on record, a period marked by a surge in heat-related fatalities and operational challenges for French nuclear power plants, which had to reduce output on Friday due to the high temperatures.

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In light of this ... the race will divert from the original route in the neutral zone, taking the D921 and heading from Brive-la-Gaillarde straight to Lanteuil, 147.8 km from the finish in Ussel.

Despite the adjustments, organizers emphasized their commitment, along with government offices, security forces, and emergency services, to ensuring the stage proceeds smoothly. Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogacar, the winner of the last two editions, currently leads the race after Saturday's eighth stage.

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All government offices, local authorities, security forces, emergency and health services, accredited civil protection organisations, volunteers and other stakeholders remain fully committed to ensuring that this stage runs smoothly.