Cancer survivor Træen takes yellow jersey as Pedersen wins stage four amid 40-degree heat

• Emergency heat measures implemented by Tour

• Træen builds eight-minute lead on Pogacar in Foix

Emergency measures were implemented by the Tour de France organisers to combat the crushing heatwave that has settled on this year’s race as the riders tackled stage four at the end of which the cancer survivor Torstein Træenhad stolen the yellow jersey and built an eight-minute lead on the four-time champion Tadej Pogacar.

On a day best spent in the shade by a languid pool, the peloton was fried by 40-degree-plus conditions over 181 gruelling kilometres and four categorised climbs as they raced towards Foix through the Aude and Ariege regions.