'It was like a warzone' - Tadej Pogacar and Tom Pidcock bemoan 'logicistal nightmare' as hot weather leaves Tour de France teams short of water
Published 07/07/2026 at 12:23 GMT+1
React to this story
Tadej Pogacar and Tom Pidcock highlighted the challenges caused by soaring temperatures at the Tour de France after a boiling hot Stage 3 from Granollers in Catalonia to Les Angles in southern France.
Highlights: Yellow changes hands as Pogacar sees off Vingegaard in Stage 3 duel
Video credit: TNT Sports
Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) won a 22nd Tour de France stage to take the yellow jersey, but he admitted the conditions had created a "logistical nightmare".
Riders were visibly struggling at the finish line, with the majority of the teams, and all shimano service cars, running out of water several times during the stage.
Stage 4 is expected to be even hotter, with temperatures forecast to reach 37 degrees Celsius in Foix at the finish.
"It's a real logistical nightmare when it's hot," Pogacar said. "Water is so important to keep your body cool.
"Five years ago, it was definitely totally different from what we have now. As a team, we're really starting to put a lot of effort into this, to bring water and ice to the riders.
"Sometimes the valley is warm, and so three guys go back to the car to take bottles and ice. [To] keep cooling yourself makes a big difference."
Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5) made clear how he felt about the heat.
"I don't think I've done such a hard race in such heat before; it was ridiculous," he said.
"It was like a warzone. I think we went through about 10,000 bidons [water bottles] today as a peloton. I just didn't have anything in the final. I was a bit cooked, that was some day."
There have been heatwaves across Europe in June and July, and spectators were told not to attend the final stretch of Stage 3 because of wildfires in the South of France.
/origin-imgresizer.tntsports.io/2026/07/06/image-87a7bcd8-52bf-4add-8203-e701e267aa72-85-2560-1440.jpeg)
Young fan gives priceless reaction after Pogacar gives her his water bottle
Video credit: TNT Sports
The French government have warned that stages of the race could be cancelled if a red warning for heat is put in place, in order to protect spectators and free up emergency services.
Extra measures have been introduced by teams at the Tour, including the use of ice packs around the necks of riders and ice baths at the finish.
- Pogacar taken aback by 'glory' question after Stage 3 win
- Pogacar compared to Secret Service agent after remarkable gesture
- Watch: Unseen footage captures huge Astana crash missed by TV
"We are ready to adapt anywhere, anytime, all the time," said Tour de France general director Christian Prudhomme told reporters last week.
"We will provide more ice to the teams. We can also allow the feed zones more often, and we already added a third motorbike to give more water bottles to the riders during the stage."
Riders are accustomed to heat at the Tour de France and La Vuelta, with both races taking place at the height of summer, but the concern is that record high temperatures could increasingly cause disruption.
"We race the Tour de France in July, so it has always been hot, and it always will be," French rider Hugo Page (Cofidis) told reporters. "With global warming, things might just get worse and worse."
Add TNT Sports as a preferred source here to enjoy more content like this.
Watch and stream the cycling season, including the Tour de France, live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
Related Topics
Advertisement
Advertisement