The 2025 Tour de France promises drama, history, and a fiercely contested battle for yellow. Starting in Lille on July 5 and concluding in Paris on July 27, this edition features a balanced mix of sprint stages, brutal mountain climbs, and two pivotal time trials.
Stages 1–4 begin in northern France, where the peloton faces potential chaos from winds and narrow roads. Stage 1 offers a likely bunch sprint unless crosswinds wreak havoc. Stage 2, with its punchy finale into Boulogne-sur-Mer, will be nervy and could cost a GC contender their hopes. Stage 3 repeats the threat of crosswinds en route to Dunkirk. Stage 4 finishes with a sharp 750m climb in Rouen that could trouble the GC men.
Stage 5, a 33km time trial around Caen, is the first major test for the overall contenders. Expect time trial specialists to shine and GC hopefuls to limit their losses. Stages 6–9 traverse Normandy and into the heart of France, offering a mix of lumpy terrain and classic sprint finishes. Stage 7 ends on the iconic Mûr-de-Bretagne, a chance for the likes of Tadej Pogacar to strike early. Stages 8 and 9 are made for the sprinters, but those still chasing a win will be under immense pressure.
Stage 10 marks the first real GC shake-up, with ten climbs and over 4,400m of elevation gain in the Massif Central. It’s the kind of profile that could end several riders’ podium dreams. After a rest day, Stage 11 presents an unpredictable finale in Toulouse, possibly the last true sprint stage. Then it’s into the Pyrenees.
Stages 12–14 are mountainous and decisive. Hautacam’s summit finish returns, while the time trial to Peyragudes (Stage 13) climbs relentlessly. Stage 14 is a high-altitude classic with Tourmalet and Peyresourde among four brutal climbs.
Stage 15 is a transitional day to Carcassonne, where breakaway specialists will thrive. After the second rest day, Stage 16 brings the iconic Mont Ventoux—flat until the final 22km of agony. The battle for yellow will likely ignite here. Stages 17–19 take riders into the Alps, peaking with the brutal Col de la Loze and super-category climbs on consecutive days. These will be defining moments for contenders like Pogacar and Vingegaard.
Stage 20 is tailor-made for puncheurs, a final opportunity for stage hunters before the procession into Paris. Yet Stage 21 breaks tradition: instead of a ceremonial sprint, riders will climb Montmartre three times after laps of the Champs-Élysées. If the GC is tight, we could see the rare sight of a yellow jersey fight right to the final corner.
