Tadej Pogacar, the reigning king of the Tour de France, has thrown down the gauntlet to the cycling establishment – it's time to rewrite the rules. The four-time champion's passionate plea for a radical shake-up of the professional racing calendar is a direct response to the sweltering summer heat that's been taking its toll on riders and teams alike. "If I had my way," Pogacar declared, "I'd scrap July and August from the calendar – no more racing in the furnace!"
The ninth stage of this year's Tour de France was a heart-stopping spectacle, with temperatures soaring and organisers forced to shorten the route. Dutch dynamo Mathieu van der Poel seized the day, sprinting to victory from Malemort to Ussel. But it was British hopeful Tom Pidcock who stole the show, snatching an impressive third place despite a mechanical mishap that left him struggling to shift gears in the final kilometres.
The extreme measures being taken by riders and teams to beat the heat are nothing short of heroic – ice vests, cold drinks, and even impromptu ice baths have become essential tools for survival. Some teams are taking it to the next level with portable cryotherapy units, where riders brave minus 120 degrees Celsius to aid recovery and promote sleep.
Pogacar's call for earlier stage starts is gathering momentum – he wants 8 or 9 am starts, or even earlier, to avoid the worst of the heat. The Professional Cyclists Association (CPA) is echoing his sentiments, highlighting the need for full implementation of extreme weather protocols and calling for emergency talks with all stakeholders this winter.
But not everyone agrees that shortening the stage is the answer – Tiesj Benoot thinks it's just a sticking plaster on a deeper problem. "We're still racing in the same blistering heat," he pointed out, "and 40 minutes less isn't going to make much of a difference." Tour director Christian Prudhomme admits that an earlier start for the Ussel stage was never logistically feasible – and now it's crunch time.