Heatwave forces Tour de France organisers to shorten Sunday’s stage nine

Stage eight: Tadej Pogacar untroubled in overall leadMerlier produces superb sprint win for second daySunday’s ninth stage of the Tour de France has been shortened by 30km due to a red heatwave alert in the Corrèze département of central France. The stage from Malemort to Ussel will now be raced over 155.5km instead of the scheduled 185.5.In a statement the Tour said: “This decision aims to ensure that the race can take place under conditions compatible with the red heatwave alert.”