Tom Pidcock battles extreme heat in Tour de France, finishes 16th on stage 3

Olympic champion Tom Pidcock described the third stage of the Tour de France as a "war zone" as temperatures climbed into the high 30s Celsius. The Pyrenean roads became scorching, with riders battling heat‑absorbing tarmac and a nearby wildfire threat.

The stage finished at Les Angles, where Tadej Pogacar claimed victory. Pidcock arrived 18 seconds behind, placing 16th overall. He said he felt "cooked" and noted that the peloton consumed roughly 10,000 water bottles. The heat‑driven struggle highlighted the challenges riders face in extreme conditions.

Despite the setback, Pidcock remained within the top‑20 of the general classification, starting stage 4 only 1:22 behind Pogacar.