Pogacar calls for schedule changes to beat the heat

July 13 : Tour de France leader Tadej Pogacar has called for changes to the cycling calendar as stifling temperatures continue to impact this year's race.

The Slovenian four-time Tour champion retained the yellow jersey on Sunday in a heat-shortened ninth stage won by Mathieu van der Poel.

"If I had the power I would change all the calendar and not race in July and August in hot places," Pogacar said. "I'd do a completely different calendar but it's not something I can do."

Sunday's stage from Malemort to Ussel was cut by 30km after a red heat alert in the region.

"Maybe the next step is to start the stages earlier. Yesterday there was a proposal to start at 10, but it doesn't change anything because then you finish in the heat," he said.

"You need to start at eight or nine, or even before. It's a little bit shit, but I think the body can adapt to waking up at five o'clock in the morning and doing a stage at eight."

Britain's Tom Pidcock, who came third on Sunday, described the conditions as oven-like.

"Riding to sign-on... was like opening the oven and you're looking in and it goes in your face," he said.

Extreme weather has been the talk of the Tour after organisers told fans not to attend the third stage because of wildfires in south-west France.

Monday is a rest day on the Tour with Tuesday's 166km 10th stage from Aurillac to Le Lioran featuring 3,800 metres of climbing in the Cantal region, where an orange heat warning has been issued.