There is even a threat of stage cancellations: adjustments to the Tour de France are possible due to heat

After the experiences with the extraordinary heat wave that France has just experienced, the aim is to prevent the clinics and the health system from being overwhelmed, the Interior Minister explained in the letter, which was quoted by the French media. In the second half of June, France was hit by a massive heat wave with the highest nationwide temperatures since weather records began in 1947. According to preliminary calculations, around 2,000 people died due to the high temperatures.

The health of spectators and drivers comes first

If the highest heat warning level, red, is declared for departments through which the tour leads with an expected ten million spectators, the Interior Minister announced measures. These could range from calls for prevention to the closure of certain public areas to an increase in medical and rescue workers along the route. However, the route of the tour could also have to be adjusted and, in exceptional cases, a stage could also be canceled.

Tour boss Christian Prudhomme reacted calmly to the Interior Minister’s announcement. For the benefit of the population, local leaders have always been able to issue regulations; it’s a matter of common sense, Prudhomme told the newspaper L’Équipe. The organizers themselves would again this year distribute headgear and drinks to the spectators.