Valentin Paret-Peintre delivered a historic performance to win stage 16 of the Tour de France 2025, conquering Mont Ventoux and becoming the first French rider in 23 years to claim victory on the iconic climb. The 24-year-old edged out Ben Healy in a tense sprint finish, marking his second Grand Tour stage win following his triumph in the 2024 Giro d’Italia.
The day’s racing unfolded with relentless attacks and a fierce battle between overall leader Tadej Pogacar and his closest rival, Jonas Vingegaard. Despite repeated attempts by Vingegaard to break Pogacar’s dominance, the Slovenian maintained control, countering every attack and even managing to extend his overall lead by a few seconds on the final bends of the mountain.
Paret-Peintre seized his opportunity in the absence of Remco Evenepoel, his Soudal Quick-Step team leader who abandoned the Tour earlier in the Pyrenees. He admitted that he lacked the strength to drop Healy on the final climb, instead focusing on a decisive sprint to the finish line, which paid off handsomely.
Behind the stage drama, the general classification battle intensified. Vingegaard’s Visma-Lease a Bike team showed renewed determination, with Sepp Kuss, Wout van Aert, and Tiesj Benoot setting a punishing tempo to try and isolate Pogacar. However, the Slovenian, who climbed Ventoux in a record time of 54 minutes and 31 seconds beating Iban Mayo’s 2004 benchmark proved unshakeable.
The stage wasn’t without incident for Vingegaard, who collided with a photographer after crossing the finish line. Frustrated, he emphasized the need for greater caution among staff at crowded summit finishes. Despite this setback, he remained upbeat, noting that his form gave him confidence to continue challenging Pogacar in the days ahead.
Pogacar, while dominant, brushed off suggestions of invincibility. He credited the high pace and advanced equipment for their fast ascent but maintained that there are limits to what is possible on such brutal climbs.
Elsewhere in the standings, Oscar Onley held onto fourth place overall despite finishing 14th on the stage, while Primoz Roglic moved into the top five after a strong ride to ninth place. Healy’s efforts on Ventoux also earned him a solid ninth place in the overall classification, continuing his impressive Tour performance.
