The Tour de France has encountered record heat and a wildfire during its 23-day course through France, prompting adjustments to stages and safety measures. Tadej Pogačar is expected to win the race when it concludes Sunday on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. The conditions have highlighted challenges posed by climate change to the event.
Wildfires in the Pyrénées-Orientales region during the third stage led organizers to limit the caravan to essential vehicles and ask spectators to avoid the final 27 miles of the 121-mile leg. Race director Christian Prudhomme told France TV that exceptional measures were needed for the protection of people.
A record European heatwave brought the highest average temperatures in two decades at 87 degrees Fahrenheit. Riders faced prolonged exertion in temperatures topping 100 degrees, with some consuming 28 bottles of water daily and using ice vests. Organizers shortened Stage 9 by 30 kilometers, the first such change in the race's history.
Pogačar suggested shifting the calendar away from July and August in hot regions, saying, “If I had the power, I would change all the calendar and not race in July and August in hot places.” The event's ties to fossil fuel sponsors have also drawn scrutiny amid the conditions.
