Tadej Pogacar called for radical change to the professional racing calendar after another day of stifling temperatures, as Mathieu van der Poel won a shortened ninth stage in the Tour de France from Malemort to Ussel.
“If I had the power I would change all the calendar and not race in July and August in hot places,” said Pogacar. “I’d do a completely different calendar, but it’s not something I can do.”
The four-time Tour de France winner added: “Maybe the next step is to start the stages earlier. (On Saturday) there was a proposal to start at 10, but it doesn’t change anything, because then you finish in the heat.
“You need to start at eight or nine, or even before. It’s a little bit sh*t, but I think the (governing) body can adapt to waking up at five o’clock in the morning and doing a stage at eight. But I think I’ve said enough.”
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