In an unprecedented situation, the next two stages of the Tour de France could be cancelled due to wildfires and high temperatures for the first time in the race's history.
A wildfire broke out on Saturday evening in the Pyrénées-Orientales department, the destination of stage 3 to Les Angles. Around 700 firefighters have been mobilised to battle the Trévillach wildfire, around 60km east of Les Angles.
"The fire has flared up again, and all resources are being mobilised to contain it," regional governor Pierre Regnault de la Mothe said, according to Ouest-France.fr. The blaze has forced the closure of departmental road 66, a major route between the coast and Monday's Tour de France stage finish.
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"It is closed firstly because it is necessary to facilitate the work of the emergency services. Secondly, it is necessary to preserve the safety of road users themselves," Regnault de la Mothe said.
Whether or not the Tour de France stage can go ahead will be decided imminently, he added.
"This is a matter we are working on this afternoon. We will be able to make a decision by the end of the day."
The situation could be aided by the wind dying down, which could help firefighters get the blaze under control.
"There should be a lull tomorrow morning. And we hope that this evening we can make progress on the fire's flanks and try to hold them a little longer than we can today."
The fire isn't the race's only major concern: the weather forecast for Tuesday's stage from Carcassonne to Foix could be the first to be cancelled due to a Code Red weather alert.
Temperatures in the region are expected to peak at 41°C (101°F), which could exceed the limit set by the French Ministry of the Interior for safe running of outdoor sporting events.
"As an exceptional measure and in consultation with the organiser and all stakeholders, you may decide to cancel a stage when health or operational conditions no longer allow us to simultaneously ensure the safety of spectators, mobilised personnel and the continuity of the response to emergencies for the population," the Ministry instructed the French prefects hosting the Tour de France this weekend.
According to reports, Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme said the race is monitoring the situation. The UCI rules allow for several measures under their High Temperature Protocol, including changing start times, neutralising parts of the stage, or cancellation.
Stage 4 passes straight through the Occitanie region, which is under a severe drought with several smaller wildfires forcing evacuations and road closures.
Even if the Tour de France route is not directly threatened, the pressure on emergency services could strain the resources available to the race.
Stay tuned to Cyclingnews for updates on this developing situation.
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