Tadej Pogacar tightened his grip on the Tour de France on Sunday, carrying a lead of two minutes and 42 seconds over defending champion Jonas Vingegaard into the first rest day. The Slovenian’s dominance, built on two stage victories in the Pyrenees, was matched only by the ferocity of the heatwave that has gripped the race since its start in Barcelona, forcing organisers to shorten stage nine by 30 kilometres — an unprecedented concession to rider safety in the Tour’s 113-year history. As the peloton baked in temperatures that reached 40 degrees Celsius, Mathieu van der Poel of the Netherlands escaped a breakaway group to win the truncated stage in Ussel, while Pogacar and Vingegaard finished safely in the main bunch six seconds later.

Pogacar’s authority was established early. He won stage five at Angles and stage seven at Gavarnie-Gèdre, each time distancing his rivals on the final climbs. His career tally of 59 days in the yellow jersey now equals Chris Froome’s mark, and he lies one day short of Miguel Indurain’s 60. A fifth Tour victory, which would draw him level with the record held by Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Indurain, appears increasingly probable. European cycling analysts note that the 26-year-old has looked more imperious than at any point since his collapse on the Col du Granon in 2022, attributing his resilience partly to improved team nutrition and hydration strategies.

The heat, however, has been the race’s unrelenting antagonist. Since the Grand Départ on 4 July, the thermometer has not dipped below 30 degrees, and stage three in the Pyrenees was raced without roadside spectators after wildfires forced the evacuation of the publicity caravan. Eight riders have already abandoned, the highest number at this point since 2022. In response, Pogacar called for a radical redrafting of the cycling calendar to avoid racing in July and August, and suggested starting stages at 8 a.m. The Professional Cyclists Association backed the demand, stating that summer start times must evolve to protect athlete health. Belgian sprinter Tim Merlier described the daily fight for water and ice as a struggle, while Australian Luke Durbridge noted the exceptional consistency of the heat across his three Tours.

Behind Pogacar, the contest for the podium has compressed into a frantic scramble. Vingegaard, at 2:42, is the closest challenger, but five riders — Isaac del Toro of Mexico, Remco Evenepoel of Belgium, Juan Ayuso of Spain, Paul Seixas of France and Florian Lipowitz of Germany — are grouped within 33 seconds of the Dane. The race resumes on Tuesday with a 166.6-kilometre stage from Aurillac to Le Lioran in the Massif Central, featuring seven categorised climbs and nearly 3,000 metres of elevation gain. It is the first of several mountain tests that will determine whether Pogacar’s lead is as unassailable as it now seems.