Tour de France 2025 route rumours and announcements

[Netserk]

An ITT is not needed. Vollering will dominate the ITT and the race will be over.

Did you say the same for this year's race?

 

[valentius borealis]

Idek anything about the route but I'm grateful for an end to the woke nonsense, keeping the race in France instead of a Mickey mouse depart

You must be delighted that the 2026 Grand Départ is in Barcelona.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

The first week is less poor than feared, but this is still not good at all.

 

[Peyroteo94]

So Remco can be in yellow after stage 5?

 

[yaco]

Did you say the same for this year's race?

The reference was in relation to their being one vital stage in the women's TDFF. Yes, Vollering can win it on this stage BUT if you add an ITT it is a slam dunk.

 

[YavorD]

Don't have the energy to make a legendary whine tbh. It's completely uninspired, it all looks like poorly AI designed mountain stages, but it's not worse than 2023 and 2024.

Think you're not fair towards 2023. Had a great weekend stages, good opening weekend and mountain stages were not only MTF's.
Is there a single stage next year when attacking more than a 5 kilometres from the line is actually likely or at least believable?
2023 had 5 such stages.

 

[rallybanana]

Idek anything about the route but I'm grateful for an end to the woke nonsense, keeping the race in France instead of a Mickey mouse depart

You do know it's possible to have a Mickey Mouse depart in France.

 

[Gigs_98]

So as far as I see it only 7 stages are categorized as flat which is a positive (If this is actually true and not just the ASO labeling bunch sprints as hilly to create more excitement). But in terms of gc stages this is incredibly bad. The mtf's are bland at best and no stage design invites racing from far out in the slightest. Madeleine is the only really hard climb all tour that's remotely close to the finish without being the final climb and even that comes before a 15km valley and a 26km long tempo grinder. I get the last two years were bad in that regard too, but this is so much worse. At least last year had the really good massif central stage, Superdevoluy, the Bonette stage and the gravel stage while 2023 had good stage designs in the Pyrenees and some mountain stages which, despite not having a hard penultimate climb either, at least also didn't end with a HC mtf. This has nothing to look forward to. It might not be the worst designed TdF I've ever seen but I'm pretty confident I've never seen a TdF route with worse mountain stage design.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

I'm pretty confident I've never seen a TdF route with worse mountain stage design.

2009 says hi.

(yes, it had Grand Bornand, but when your remaining mountain stages are Arcalis, unipuerto Verbier, Ventoux as stage 20 and a bunch of Pescheux specials, this Tour's mountain stages suddenly look inviting by comparison...)

 

[Keldergoat]

I know I'm not exactly preaching to the choir here and you have to be careful to reveal any optimism but at the first looks of it I, kinda like it?

 

[ashhutch1997]

So as far as I see it only 7 stages are categorized as flat which is a positive (If this is actually true and not just the ASO labeling bunch sprints as hilly to create more excitement). But in terms of gc stages this is incredibly bad. The mtf's are bland at best and no stage design invites racing from far out in the slightest. Madeleine is the only really hard climb all tour that's remotely close to the finish without being the final climb and even that comes before a 15km valley and a 26km long tempo grinder. I get the last two years were bad in that regard too, but this is so much worse. At least last year had the really good massif central stage, Superdevoluy, the Bonette stage and the gravel stage while 2023 had good stage designs in the Pyrenees and some mountain stages which, despite not having a hard penultimate climb either, at least also didn't end with a HC mtf. This has nothing to look forward to. It might not be the worst designed TdF I've ever seen but I'm pretty confident I've never seen a TdF route with worse mountain stage design.

2009 and 2017 enter the chat.

 

[Peyroteo94]

So as far as I see it only 7 stages are categorized as flat which is a positive (If this is actually true and not just the ASO labeling bunch sprints as hilly to create more excitement). But in terms of gc stages this is incredibly bad. The mtf's are bland at best and no stage design invites racing from far out in the slightest. Madeleine is the only really hard climb all tour that's remotely close to the finish without being the final climb and even that comes before a 15km valley and a 26km long tempo grinder. I get the last two years were bad in that regard too, but this is so much worse. At least last year had the really good massif central stage, Superdevoluy, the Bonette stage and the gravel stage while 2023 had good stage designs in the Pyrenees and some mountain stages which, despite not having a hard penultimate climb either, at least also didn't end with a HC mtf. This has nothing to look forward to. It might not be the worst designed TdF I've ever seen but I'm pretty confident I've never seen a TdF route with worse mountain stage design.

Pogacar can still attack from far if he needs to but I get your point and I kinda agree. Zero invitation to a ling range attack.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

2009 and 2017 enter the chat.

Mont du Chat was far better than anything seen this year and both Peyragudes and Galibier would have been guaranteed to see action from range in the current era. Then add in the Foix stage that did actually deliver and it isn't even close. That Tour was very bad overall, but aside from the horrendous Izoard MTF as the final mountain stage I think the (limited number of) mountain stages was actually decent and certainly no worse than a lot of the stages we've seen deliver in the current era.

 

[fbjim]

I know I'm not exactly preaching to the choir here and you have to be careful to reveal any optimism but at the first looks of it I, kinda like it?

Yeah it's fine

I need to add to the TDF route drinking game: "climb that hasn't been used in over 15 years, and a lot of people have been asking for, is brought back - everyone immediately claims that the climb was always bad"

 

[ashhutch1997]

Mont du Chat was far better than anything seen this year and both Peyragudes and Galibier would have been guaranteed to see action from range in the current era. Then add in the Foix stage that did actually deliver and it isn't even close.

Yeah forgot about them, it was the Izoard stage that was awful

 

[YavorD]

Are they using the same side of Loze as in 2020?

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Are they using the same side of Loze as in 2020?

No, I dont think so. 2020 was from Meribel, 2025 is from Courchevel.

 

[Netserk]

Are they using the same side of Loze as in 2020?

2020:

2025:

 

[ashhutch1997]

The stage to Courchavel could create some long range attacks on the Madeleine, given that they are going up the easy side of Loze.
Like a watered down version of Galibier 2011.

 

[tonymikejoe]

Tour de France route cliches we endure every twelve months:

"This is a route for the climbers."
"Riders who don't bring their climbing legs will struggle."
"A route for the mountain goats."
"One of the most mountainous TdF routes of all time."

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

2025:

Massive draft advantage from 15 km to go to 5,5 km to go, not very steep here. I don't see big gaps between the best (Pogacar and Vingegaard, maybe Roglic and Remco if they are at their absolutely best).

 

[YavorD]

2020:

2025:

Thanks.
I actually like the 2025 more. At least it doesn't limit the action to the last 3 kilometres.

 

[Rob5091]

Prudhomme hoping Pogi does n't get yellow until the Pyrennnes? MvdP could wrap up the Green Jersey early too.
If I was a betting man I'd wager a few centimes on a new record up Ventoux.

 

[snipeheem]

Prudhomme hoping Pogi does n't get yellow until the Pyrennnes? MvdP could wrap up the Green Jersey early too.
If I was a betting man I'd wager a few centimes on a new record up Ventoux.

Hautacam too

 

[Netserk]

First week ITTs:

2025, stage 5: 33 km
2024, stage 7: 25 km
2023: -
2022, stage 1: 13 km
2021, stage 5: 27 km
2020: -
2019: -
2018: -
2017, stage 1: 14 km
2016: -
2015, stage 1: 14 km
2014: -
2013: -
2012, prologue: 6 km
2011: -
2010, prologue: 9 km
2009, stage 1: 16 km
2008, stage 4: 30 km
2007, prologue: 8 km
2006, prologue: 7 km, stage 7: 52 km
2005, stage 1: 19 km
2004, prologue: 6 km
2003, prologue: 7 km
2002, prologue: 7 km
2001, prologue: 8 km
2000, stage 1: 17 km
1999, prologue: 7 km, stage 8: 57 km
1998, prologue: 6 km, stage 7: 58 km
1997, prologue: 7 km
1996, prologue: 9 km, stage 8: 31 km

No ITT in the 30 most recent routes has been longer than the 2025 one and as early in the race. Only 3 times a longer one in the first week, most recently in 2006.