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Patrick Fletcher

Why going in the breakaway is actually a crafty way to beat the heat at the Tour de France

Breakaways Mathias Vacek, Jan Tratnik and Alex Kirsch during stage 4 of the 2026 Tour de France.

In temperatures that push towards the 40-Celsius mark, the peloton might seem to be the safest place to be, staying in the wheels and avoiding any over-exertion in the Tour de France furnace.

Attacking to get in the breakaway and then racing full-gas for the stage win, by contrast, might have seemed like a daunting prospect as the riders filled their jerseys with ice in an already-sweltering Carcassonne at the start of stage 4.

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