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

Key Points:

• Tadej Pogačar criticized the professional cycling calendar for scheduling races in hot months like July and August, suggesting stages should start earlier in the day to avoid extreme heat, though he acknowledged he lacks the power to make these changes.
• Stage 9 of the Tour de France was shortened by 30km due to a heatwave and red alert conditions in Corrèze, with Mathieu van der Poel winning the stage from a breakaway.
• Riders have struggled with the heat throughout the race, leading to new measures such as relaxed hydration rules, ice baths, and warnings to fans to avoid certain stages due to wildfires.
• Tom Pidcock described the extreme heat conditions but noted that once racing began, it became more manageable, highlighting the physical challenges riders face in this year's Tour.
• The Tour de France is currently on its first rest day, with Stage 10 planned in a region under orange heat alert, indicating ongoing concerns about high temperatures affecting the race.