Tour de France 2025 route rumours and announcements

[Lequack]

The Peyragudes profile on the official site is an all time classic.

Ganna FTW

A sprint stage.

 

[Sciatic]

A sprint stage.

False flat

 

[King Of The Wolds]

Just realized Mikkel Bjerg is not riding TdF. Between him, Wellens and Politt I believe he would make a difference.

Pound for Pound, Team Visma looks stronger this year.

Watts per pound though, I like Pog

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Only now I realized that this Tour has 5 HC MTFs. Those are 5 big climbs (even the easiest one Superbagneres actually has 17 km, not 12 km). Is it a record? I don't recall anything like that in the modern era.

 

[Poursuivant]

Only now I realized that this Tour has 5 HC MTFs. Those are 5 big climbs (even the easiest one Superbagneres actually has 17 km, not 12 km). Is it a record? I don't recall anything like that in the modern era.

Doesn’t bode well for third place to be within ten minutes by Paris.

 

[Sciatic]

Only now I realized that this Tour has 5 HC MTFs. Those are 5 big climbs (even the easiest one Superbagneres actually has 17 km, not 12 km). Is it a record? I don't recall anything like that in the modern era.

And we have to wait nearly 2 weeks of raving before they get to the 1st of them.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

And we have to wait nearly 2 weeks of raving before they get to the 1st of them.

It's so backloaded...

 

[Samu Cuenca]

And we have to wait nearly 2 weeks of raving before they get to the 1st of them.

It's stark racing mad.

 

[Escarabajo]

The Peyragudes profile on the official site is an all time classic.

Ganna FTW

I believe everyone will be on their TT bike all the way. I don't know what is the big deal.

 

[YavorD]

Only now I realized that this Tour has 5 HC MTFs. Those are 5 big climbs (even the easiest one Superbagneres actually has 17 km, not 12 km). Is it a record? I don't recall anything like that in the modern era.

That's too much even for the Tour standards.
Usually at least 1 of the big mountain stages doesn't finish on a (tough) climb.

2011 had 4 and that's the most I can remember.

 

[Ulle97]

2001 had 5...... Alpe d'Huez, Chamrousse(MTT), Ax-3, Pla d'Adet, Luz Ardiden.

 

[Ulle97]

Also, 2002 had 5. La Mongie, Plateau de Beille, Ventoux, Le Deux Alpes, La Plagne.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

@Ulle97 I meant five HC finishes, not just 5 MTF. Only 2025 has five HC.

 

[Peyroteo94]

How many stages will Pogacar win in the first week? 3? With a leadout similiar to the one he had in Combloux, his rivals will suffer for sure in those hills.

 

[Cookster15]

Also, 2002 had 5. La Mongie, Plateau de Beille, Ventoux, Le Deux Alpes, La Plagne.

• La Mongie is 2nd category.
• Le Deux Alpes is cat 1.
• AX-3 Domains (2001) is cat 1.

Scary that the 2025 Tour is the first with 5 HC MTFs. But also that the Tour is so heavily back loaded - the first HC MTF isn't until stage 12 (Hautacam). Although this might also lead to conservative racing for nearly two weeks?

 

[Red Rick]

• La Mongie is 2nd category.
• Le Deux Alpes is cat 1.
• AX-3 Domains (2001) is cat 1.

Scary that the 2025 Tour is the first with 5 HC MTFs. But also that the Tour is so heavily back loaded - the first HC MTF isn't until stage 12 (Hautacam). Although this might also lead to conservative racing for nearly two weeks?

You get conservative racing when there's no place to do anything on. They actually did manage to make stages where something will happen before the first domestiques smash head first into the lower slopes of Hautacam.

I have a lot more gripe with the utterly boring design of the mountain stages and how late we hit them than the hilly stages in the first 11 stages.

 

[Monsi]

How many stages will Pogacar win in the first week? 3? With a leadout similiar to the one he had in Combloux, his rivals will suffer for sure in those hills.

I think he can win stages 2, 4, and 6. But it depends on how good MVDP is and whether they catch the break or not. I think Bretagne (stage 7) is too easy and MVDP should be the favorite there. Stage 10 should normally go to the break but if somehow the GC group is fighting for the win, then Pogacar will be the heavy favorite.

 

[CyclistAbi]

This Tour will likely be won in mountains but there will be plenty of GC action and survival involved till the first rest day.

 

[E_F_]

Arguably Pogacar is the favourite for stage 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19, & 21.

 

[hayneplane]

• La Mongie is 2nd category.
• Le Deux Alpes is cat 1.
• AX-3 Domains (2001) is cat 1.

Scary that the 2025 Tour is the first with 5 HC MTFs. But also that the Tour is so heavily back loaded - the first HC MTF isn't until stage 12 (Hautacam). Although this might also lead to conservative racing for nearly two weeks?

Not a concern with this generation of top riders but in the past for sure that was a likely scenario

 

[gregrowlerson]

Arguably Pogacar is the favourite for stage 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19, & 21.

The forum crashed for a while, not long after this post.

There is no such thing as coincidence.

 

[gregrowlerson]

2001 had 5...... Alpe d'Huez, Chamrousse(MTT), Ax-3, Pla d'Adet, Luz Ardiden.

A very strange route with those 5 stages taking place consecutively.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

This Tour will likely be won in mountains but there will be plenty of GC action and survival involved till the first rest day.

Emphasis on 'survival' if precedents regarding backloaded GC routes and the racing in the Tour when everybody still has something to protect are anything to go by. I fear that we may have lost a few of the at least secondary GC contenders by the time we even get to the mountains. Just need to hope we don't end up with something like 2014 where it's already a one-horse race by the time the mountains hit.

I mean, there will always be some attrition, it's a three-week race and you can name prominent GC candidate DNFs, DNSes and riders who lost a lot of time due to crashes or illness for pretty much any Grand Tour, but very long opening salvos with limited cause for separation leaving more riders with ambitions intact tends to lead to a nervy péloton which often increases the risk.

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

A very strange route with those 5 stages taking place consecutively.

Yeah, I often think about 2001 when it comes to route discussions. As unsatisfying as some of these routes have been in the last years I think we still have it quite good compared to these early 00s garbage. If a route like 2001 was presented today the forum would go mad.
9 days of sprint stages with the exception of a TTT and a medium mountain breakaway stage. Then 5 GC days in a row - and then another 5 sprint stages with an ITT that had no relevance anymore in between. Hilarious balancing.

I don't know, the 5 HC MTFs sound impressive but honestly it doesn't really give a lot value to the route this year, especially given how the last 2 years of racing with the aliens have developed. Don't really see a lot of value in having multiple stages with 30+ minutes mountain time trials at the end but maybe I'm wrong.

 

[CyclistAbi]

@Libertine Seguros

I won't say close to zero instead i will say there is zero chance big 4 and their teams make it all intact till the first rest day. As for secondary GC contenders, there for sure will be decimation involved too, likely some will take that as opportunity. And that will further be like pouring oil on fire.