Tour de France cuts Stage 9 by 30 kilometres as Corrèze hit with red heat alert

Route reduction

The ninth stage of the Tour de France 2026, scheduled for Sunday 12 July from Malemort to Ussel in the Corrèze department, will be shortened by 30 kilometres after organisers ASO responded to an extreme heat forecast. The stage will now cover 155.5 km instead of the original 185.5 km, with the start time unchanged at 13:45. The finish in Ussel is now expected between 17:00 and 17:30, significantly earlier than originally planned for the full distance. The decision was announced shortly after the finish of Stage 8 in Bergerac on Saturday 11 July.

This decision is necessary due to the exceptional weather conditions. It aims to allow the event to take place in conditions compatible with the red heatwave alert level. Consequently, it has been decided that the 9th stage route is reduced to 155.5 km, instead of the 185.5 km initially planned.

Extreme heat in Corrèze

Météo-France placed the Corrèze department under a red canicule vigilance (the highest heat alert) for Sunday. Forecasters expect afternoon temperatures to rise sharply, reaching between 37 °C and 40 °C, with peaks of 41 °C possible on the plain. Such heat poses serious risks to rider health and performance over a full-length stage. The alert came after several days of climbing temperatures across central France.

On Sunday afternoon, maximum temperatures are expected to rise significantly, ranging from 37 °C to 40 °C, possibly reaching 41 °C on the plain.

Stage profile and race impact

The stage retains its four categorised climbs, making it a day suited to breakaway specialists, known as baroudeurs. The shorter total distance may alter tactics: the peloton will hit the climbs earlier, potentially favouring aggressive early attacks. Arriving in Ussel before 17:30 also means riders avoid the hottest part of the afternoon, though air temperatures will still be extreme.

A first in Tour history

ASO said that this is the first time a Tour de France stage has been shortened explicitly because of a heatwave, making the move without precedent in the race's history. While stages have been modified or neutralised due to weather before, snow, flooding, or protesters, this is the first red-heat-triggered cut. The decision reflects the increasing pressure that extreme heat places on outdoor sport, though the organisers framed it simply as a safety measure to keep the race within the conditions required by the red alert.