Code yellow warning in the Alps: Tour de France queen stage could be hit by thunderstorms and low temperatures

Initially, everything appears to be fine. In Vif, the weather will be lovely, with a temperature of 24 degrees: not too hot, but not too cold. From the sunny weather, the riders will head for the Col du Glandon. At the summit of this challenging climb, the maximum temperature will be 12 degrees, and the possibility of rain could make the conditions even more unpleasant. The wind chill factor will therefore be significantly lower than the actual temperature.

On the Col de la Madeleine—the next of the Alpine giants—it will not be much different. Once again, cold will play a role, and rain could make the roads slippery. The Madeleine is known for its tricky descent, and the wet conditions could make it even more difficult. It is also the second mountain where cold and wet conditions are expected: the longer the cold weather lasts, the more it will affect the riders.

After that, the riders still have to climb the Col de la Loze. There, too, the temperature will not rise above 12 degrees, and rain is also possible. But the Savoie department, where the Madeleine and Col de la Loze are located, has now even issued a code yellow warning for thunderstorms. Let's hope it doesn't happen, because a storm on top of a col is never good news.

Some riders can't handle the heat, others can't handle the cold. Will the bad weather favor Jonas Vingegaard or Tadej Pogacar? “The weather is bad in this region right now, and it's not going to be good for the next two days,” said the yellow jersey wearer after stage 17. “Normally, I like the cold weather, but if I had a choice, I'd prefer sunshine. Whether it's more Slovenian or Danish conditions? Both.”