With extreme temperatures gripping the south of France, the third stage of the 2026 Tour de France is in danger of cancellation due to wildfires ripping through the Easter Pyrenees region.
Speaking to AFP on Sunday, Pierre Regnault de la Mothe, a senior official within the Pyrénées-Orientales department in which the third stage is set to finish, said that a decision will be taken by the end of the day concerning the running of stage 3.
Forest fires are currently raging around 70 kilometres from the stage 3 finish in Les Angles. Approximately 1,500 hectares have been affected and 700 firefighters mobilised to tackle the blaze. Several roads around the route of stage 3 are also closed.
“The fire has flared up again. All resources are being mobilised to contain it,” added Regnault de la Mothe.
Stage 3 is scheduled to begin in Granollers taking riders over the Pyrenees mountain range on a 196km stage to Les Angles.
With the heat already impacting on the race during the opening team time trial, riders were seen taking measures to control their core body temperature as the race began in Barcelona.
Temperatures in the region are set to top 40 degrees celsius on Monday, and with the region experiencing extreme heat throughout May and June, race organisers have been conscious of possible changes in line with the UCI’s extreme weather protocols.
The organisers have been on standby to adjust the route day-by-day depending on how things unfold.
According to a French Interior Ministry document viewed by Reuters, regional officials will hold sway over the cancellation of stages in the coming weeks.
The document stated: “In exceptional circumstances, and in consultation with the organiser and all relevant parties, you may decide to cancel a stage if health or operational conditions no longer allow for the simultaneous safeguarding of spectators and staff, and the continued provision of emergency services to the public.”
