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1h ago

Merlier Doubles Up as Pogačar Holds Yellow and Heat Forces Tour Route Change

Organisers cut Stage 9 under a Meteo‑France red alert to prompt tactical shifts and extra cooling measures before the first rest day.

Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 8 - Perigueux to Bergerac - Perigueux, France - July 11, 2026 General view of cyclists in action during stage 8 REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 8 - Perigueux to Bergerac - Perigueux, France - July 11, 2026 Spectators cheer on cyclists in action during stage 8 REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq
Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 7 - Hagetmau to Bordeaux - Hagetmau, France - July 10, 2026 Lotto Intermarche's Baptiste Veistroffer splashes water on himself while in action during stage 7 REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
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Overview

  • Tim Merlier won back-to-back sprint stages on Friday and Saturday, taking his Tour career total to five stage victories and strengthening his status as the race’s top sprinter.
  • Tadej Pogačar retained the overall lead, holding a 2 minute 42 second advantage over Jonas Vingegaard after the weekend’s racing.
  • Race organisers shortened Stage 9 by about 30 km after Meteo‑France placed Corrèze on red alert, removing an early hilly loop while keeping the stage’s key climbs on the revised 155–156 km route.
  • Mathieu van der Poel won the shortened Stage 9 from a reduced breakaway, claiming his third Tour stage victory in a late sprint on Sunday.
  • The prolonged heatwave has forced teams to use ice vests, ice socks and extra bottles and led organisers to distribute large amounts of ice, a set of responses that could prompt permanent changes to scheduling and rider-safety protocols.