Tour de France stage to be shortened amid heatwave as sprinter Merlier doubles up

Tour de France organisers for the first time in the race’s history have decided to shorten a stage due to intense heat, as Belgian sprint king Tim Merlier doubled up in Saturday’s flat eighth stage.

Just minutes after the 33-year-old Belgian had surged to victory in the 180km run from Perigueux to Bergerac with a stunning dash for the line, ASO announced that Sunday’s ninth stage would be changed because of a red alert in the central Correze region.

Meteo France, the country’s weather authority, had declared a red alert “due to an exceptionally intense heatwave” in Correze, ASO said in a statement.

ASO have shaved 30km off the 185.5km stage from Malemort to Ussel, cutting out a hilly loop at the beginning of the stage.

“This decision has been made necessary by the exceptional weather conditions,” said ASO.

“It aims to ensure that the race can take place under conditions compatible with the red heatwave alert.”

It is not the first time that organisers have made changes to a stage, even at this year’s race.