Tour de France stage 8 winner Tim Merlier has welcomed the shortening of Sunday's ninth stage to Ussel, after red alert heatwave warnings in the Corrèze department forced organisers to cut 30km from the planned route.
Merlier was asked about the changes just minutes after they were announced and the official message from the ASO circulated around the press room, but he took no time to hesitate when it came to his opinion that it was a good idea – and after eight days of sweltering racing, often pushing 40°C, can you blame him?
