Pogacar calls for schedule changes to beat the heat

July 13 : Tour de France leader Tadej Pogacar has called for changes to the cycling calendar as stifling temperatures continue to impact this year's race.The Slovenian four-time Tour champion retained the yellow jersey on Sunday in a heat-shortened ninth stage won by Mathieu van der Poel."If I had the power I would change all the calendar and not race in July and August in hot places," Pogacar said. "I'd do a completely different calendar but it's not something I can do."Sunday's stage from Malemort to Ussel was cut by 30km after a red heat alert in the region. "Maybe the next step is to start the stages earlier. Yesterday there was a proposal to start at 10, but it doesn't change anything because then you finish in the heat," he said."You need to start at eight or nine, or even before. It