Wildfires across region force Tour de France to reroute final stage

Wildfires in southwest France, particularly the Gironde region, have forced Tour de France organizers to reconfigure the final stage. The new route is shorter, limited to Paris, and ends on the Champs-Élysées after a Montmartre circuit. The change is due to emergency services being diverted to fight the blazes, which have led to the evacuation of about 200,000 people.

Wildfires in southwest France have forced Tour de France organizers to reconfigure the final stage, set for Sunday. The change is necessary because multiple first responders have been diverted to the fires. The new route will leave a smaller race footprint for local officials to secure. The Amaury Sport Organisation stated that due to numerous wildfires affecting France, particularly the Gironde region, the Ministry of Interior redeployed internal security forces from the final stage to reinforce firefighting efforts. The wildfires have led to the evacuation of about 200,000 people. Stage 21 was originally a 132.5 km ride from Thoiry to the Champs-Élysées. The re-imagined stage still ends on the Champs-Élysées after a circuit on Montmartre, but now runs solely within Paris and covers 89 km. Cyclists will take two extra circuits along the Champs-Élysées before the Montmartre climb. The Montmartre circuit, popular since the 2024 Paris Olympics, can accommodate large fan gatherings. Earlier in the Tour, fans were asked to stay away from the final 40 km of Stage 3 due to wildfires.