Tour de France stages 3 and 4 at risk of cancellation due to wildfires, heat
Cyclingnews • • sports
Key Points:
- The next two stages of the Tour de France may be cancelled for the first time due to wildfires in Pyrénées-Orientales and extreme heat forecasts reaching 41°C, posing safety risks.
- A major wildfire near Les Angles has mobilized around 700 firefighters, leading to the closure of a key road and threatening stage 3 of the race.
- Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, with decisions on stage cancellations expected by the end of the day, considering both fire containment progress and weather conditions.
- The French Ministry of the Interior has issued guidelines allowing cancellation of stages if health and safety cannot be guaranteed amid Code Red heat alerts and wildfire emergencies.
- Tour director Christian Prudhomme and race officials are exploring options under UCI’s High Temperature Protocol, including altered start times or neutralizing parts of stages, as emergency services face increased strain in the drought-affected Occitanie region.
