2025 Tour de France teams - Ultimate team-by-team guide

Cycling is an individual sport conducted by teams, and nowhere is the team more important than at the Tour de France. The most high-profile race of the season is also the event with the deepest field, and even the brightest individual stars need a strong supporting cast to carry off the biggest prizes.

Defending champion Tadej Pogačar returns at the head of a strong UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad, while Visma | Lease a Bike will feature Jonas Vingegaard, Wout van Aert and Matteo Jorgenson in their star-studded line-up.

There are 23 teams and 184 riders at the 2025 Tour de France, with five UCI ProTeams joining the 18 WorldTour teams on the start line in Lille on July 5. While final overall victory is an ambition for an elite cadre of riders in the TDF, every team on the start line will set out with clear designs on glory. 

Ahead of the Grand Départ, we run through the teams and their goals.

Team leaders: Jasper Philipsen, Mathieu van der Poel

Objective: Stage wins, green jersey

Rider to watch: Kaden Groves

Alpecin-Deceuninck have collected multiple stage wins in every Tour de France in which they have participated, and it would be a surprise if that streak didn’t continue here. Jasper Philipsen hasn’t won as often as he would have liked in the opening phase of the season, but his top-end speed is always a touch sharper in July. He netted a hat-trick of sprint wins at last year’s TDF and he will have eyes on another haul of victories and another tilt at the green jersey here.

Philipsen had a deluxe lead-out man in Mathieu van der Poel in recent years, but the Dutchman will also seek out opportunities of his own on this race, especially on the more rugged days in the opening week - provided, of course, that he recovers from the broken wrist sustained in mountain bike action in May.

In the past two editions, Van der Poel lined up in July with an eye to building towards the Worlds and Olympics, respectively. This time out, he should race with a little more freedom and that might make all the difference. Kaden Groves, fresh off another Giro stage win, is in line to serve as Philipsen’s last man in July.

Team Leader: Kévin Vauquelin

Objective: Stage win

Rider to watch: Arnaud Démare

Arkea-B&B Hotels had an amazing start to the Tour de France in 2024 with Kevin Vaquelin victorious on stage 2. His elevation up the ranks has continued apace, with second place overall at the Tour de Suisse and, which may not work in his favour, with too many eyes on him. Whatever, with the team's future uncertain, a stage win would be the perfect tonic and the parcours of the opening week is tailormade for Vaquelin’s punchy style. 

Arnaud Démare will be looking to roll back the years and get involved in the bunch sprints, but the 33-year-old hasn't crossed the line first for well over a year, so nay success will be firmly against the odds. 

Team leaders: Lenny Martinez, Santiago Buitrago

Objective: Stage wins and GC 

Rider to watch: Fred Wright

The acquisition of Lenny Martinez has been a great success for Bahrain Victorious. The Frenchman has picked up two stage wins in 2025, at the Tour de Romandie and Paris-Nice. Martinez also has been right up there in any GC battle he competes in, most notably his second place at the Tour de Romandie. For the Tour de France, however, he stated that he will focus on stage wins.

Santiago Buitrago is the other leader for Bahrain Victorious. In the 2024 Tour de France he finished a respectable 10th place in the general classification and the Colombian might be a more reliable GC option than his young teammate. The big enigma that remains at Bahrain Victorious is Matej Mohorič. A three-time stage winner at the Tour de France, he should not be underestimated if he can bring that form back.

Team Leader: Alex Aranburu

Objective: Stage wins

Rider to watch: Ion Izagirre

Cofidis will be looking to put up a fight and former Spanish national champion Alex Aranburu will have big expectations on his shoulders after impressive climbing performances at Itzulia Basque Country. Bryan Coquard could be there floating around the top ten positions in the bunch sprints. New acquisition Dyan Teuns will relish the stages that require a stinging kick to finish. Cofidis will be one of the teams taking part in the breakaway poker of the Tour de France, which is becoming harder and stronger each year. 

One to watch out for in the breakaways for Cofidis is two-time TDF stage winner Ion Izagirre. 

Team Leader: Felix Gall

Objective: Top ten GC, Stage wins

Rider to watch: Clément Berthet

Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale will be lining up in the Tour de France with a team entirely built around the Austrian, Felix Gall, who placed 8th overall in 2023.  Gall had a strong performance a the recent Tour de Suisse and will rely on support from Bruno Armirail, fresh from retaining his French TT title and taking the mountains jersey at the Critérium du Dauphiné.

With no out and out sprinter in the line up, the team may need to look for breakaway opportunities if the GC threat falls away, so look for Clément Berthet to try his luck. 

Team Leader: Ben Healy

Objective: Polka dot jersey, stage wins

Rider to watch: Vincenzo Albanese

EF Education-EasyPost tend to put on a spectacle of attacking cycling when they ride the Tour, and their squad here is built yet again for that, though the loss of Richard Carapaz due to illness has curtailed their ambitions.

They will certainly be unbowed, and will continue with their pursuit of stage wins and a possible assault on the polka dot jersey with other riders. Look no further than Irishman, Ben Healy, who has made a career from winning on hilly and mountainous stages. He's no one trick pony though and is as happy time trialling to success as he is on uphill sprints.

He will be ably backed up in that pursuit by Neilson Powless, but keep your eyes out for Vincenzo Albanese. The Italian is brimming with confidence after winning a gnarly stage of the Tour de Suisse. 

Team Leader: Romain Grégoire

Objective: Stage win 

Rider to watch: Lewis Askey

Groupama-FDJ come into every Tour de France with high hopes from the home fans. The expectation of a stage win shouldn’t be unachievable with the tremendous talent of Romain Grégoire. With top ten finishes at Amstel Gold Race and Flèche Wallonne this season, expect the young Frenchman to shine bright, particularly on the Mûr-de-Bretagne. Young British rider Lewis Askey has been in fine form in 2025 and is one rider to watch out for in the opening week and breakaways.

Team Leader: Carlos Rodríguez

Objective: GC, stage wins

Rider to watch: Thymen Arensman

The dominance of the Sky era has long since passed, and Ineos have been treading water at the TDF in recent years. Carlos Rodríguez will again lead the line, ostensibly in search of a podium finish, though a top five place might be a more realistic target.

The Spaniard should have solid support at his disposal in the high mountains with Geraint Thomas, and Thymen Arensman. Thomas is lining out in the final Tour of his career, and it would be pure fairytale if the 2018 GC winner were to take a stage win.

Filippo Ganna, meanwhile, will certainly be among the favourites for the time trial on stage 5. 

Team Leader: Biniam Girmay

Objective: Green Jersey, stage wins

Rider to watch: Louis Barré

The 2024 Tour de France was perfection for Biniam Girmay, who won the green jersey and took home three stage wins. 2025 has been a slower burn so far for Girmay with numerous second place finishes. The competition for the green jersey will be one for the ages and Girmay is not to be written off. 

Intermarché-Wanty will look to give an account of themselves in breakaways as well, with Georg Zimmermann one of those likely to show the jersey up the road.

Team Leader: Michael Woods

Objective: Stage wins

Rider to watch: Joesph Blackmore

After a health scare caused him to abandon the Tour de Suisse, Michael Woods has recovered to lead Israel-Premier Tech’s lineup. While the Canadian will be expected to be up there in the mountains and hilly stages the team have a wealth of talent for the sprints, with both Pascal Ackermann and British rider, Jake Stewart, the latter having an excellent season, including a recent stage victory at the Critérium du Dauphiné. 

There is a Grand Tour debut for Stewart's compatriot, Joseph Blackmore, though the 2024 Tour de l'Avenir is likely to be competitive, he will need to find his feet in the world's biggest race. 

Team leaders: Mattias Skjelmose, Jonathan Milan

Objective: Green jersey and stage wins 

Rider to watch: Thibaut Nys

Lidl-Trek have flown out of the blocks in 2025 with 25 victories. It is probable that the tally will be extended even further during this Tour de France. Jonathan Milan will be making his debut at the Tour and he looks to add a green jersey to his collection. Mattias Skjelmose has the potential to pick up a stage win or two, with his fantastic sprint for a climber, as seen in this year’s Amstel Gold Race, though his initial goal will be a high overall finish.

Jasper Stuyven has come so close to victory in previous editions of the TDF and will be looking to release that weight off his shoulders in this edition. 

The inclusion of Thibaut Nys gives the teams something special and the versatile Belgian prodigy is likely to be at the pointy end in a variety of stages and scenarios.

Team Leaders: Arnaud De Lie, Lennert Van Eetvelt

Objective: Stage wins

Rider to watch: Lennert Van Eetvelt

The Belgian squad have built their team around their star men, Arnaud De Lie and Lennert Van Eetvelt. De Lie has had a difficult start to the 2025 season, struggling with health-related issues, but if he turns up in his true shape, then he can be a force to be reckoned with on certain, hillier sprint stages. Lennert Van Eetvelt on the other hand, has had a solid season so far, with third place on the Volta a Catalunya.

The otherwise young squad will rely on the experience of Jasper de Buyst and Eduardo Sepúlveda to keep the team on the rails should the race not go to plan. 

Team Leader: Enric Mas

Objective: Top five GC, 

Rider to watch: Pablo Castrillo

Movistar bring the cavalry in Enric Mas’ charge towards a shot at high GC finish. 2024 Vuelta a España hero Pablo Castrillo is joined by Iván Romeo and Einer Rubio in the support of Mas, who has been building his form gradually. Romeo and Rubio should also have the freedom to get themselves into some breakaways in what is a debut Tour de France for both. 

In his GC aspirations, Mas should be looking to be the ‘best of the rest’ finishing on the podium behind Tadej Pogačar or Jonas Vingegaard. 

Team Leader: Primož Roglič

Objective: GC

Rider to watch: Florian Lipowitz

Roglič arrives at the TDF after an ill-fated Giro d’Italia, but he will hope for better in France. He will be joined by Danny van Poppel, Aleksandr Vlasov, Laurence Pithie, Mick van Dijk, Gianni Moscon, Jordi Meeus and Florian Lipowitz in a strong line-up. Roglic has great domestiques at his disposal in this TDF with the cream of the crop being German talent Florian Lipowitz. 

While Pogačar and Vingegaard look on another plane, Roglič is not to be ruled out of contention for victory just yet, if only for the sheer number of times that he has bounced back from adversity. 

Meeus will be looking to get involved in the bunch sprints once again in a Tour de France after missing the 2024 edition. Vlasov may play the role as a satellite rider for Roglič, but he could perhaps snatch a stage win if his duties allow it.

Team Leaders: Remco Evenepoel, Tim Merlier

Objectives: GC, green jersey

This year, Soudal Quick-Step have diversified their focus in the Tour de France. They bring Remco Evenepoel to fight for the yellow jersey and also bring elite sprinter, Tim Merlier. After being left out of the Tour de France in 2024, Merlier will be looking to prove a point in the sprints. He will have a big battle on his hands in the fight for the green jersey between the likes of Jasper Philipsen and Jonathan Milan. 

Bert Van Lerberghe will have a big part to play in Merlier’s efforts. It must also be said that Merlier has the ability in bunch sprints to make up so much ground by threading the needle between gaps.

Evenepoel comes into the 2025 Tour de France after an unfortunate winter. His 2025 plans were interrupted after his training accident and his preparations significantly adjusted. Evenepoel did win his first race back at the De Brabantse Pijl and continued with solid results since but has reported that he still suffers with shoulder pain. 

If Evenepoel is able to find his shape from 2024 then he is one of the top contenders for the podium place. He will be without key domestique Mikel Landa, who fractured his vertebra in the opening stage of the 2025 Giro d’Italia.

Team Leader: Ben O’Connor

Objective: GC, stage wins

Rider to watch: Mauro Schmid

Jayco-AlUla will bring a well-rounded team that covers all areas. For the bunch sprints they have Dylan Groenewegen, who recently opened his account for the season with a victory on stage 4 of the Tour de Hongrie. 

Ben O’Connor leads the team’s GC aspirations after joining from Decathlon in the winter. The Australian will have the support of belated Tour debutant, Eddie Dunbar and a flying Mauro Schmid, fresh from winning both Swiss road and TT titles.

Former green jersey winner Michael Matthews will not be at the Tour de France this year after a pulmonary embolism scare.

Team leader: Oscar Onley

Objective: Polka dot jersey, stage win

There is no Romain Bardet for Team Picnic PostNL this year as he hung up his wheels after the Critérium du Dauphiné. There will also be no Fabio Jakobsen for the Dutch team, as he recovers from surgery to fix a flow restriction in his iliac arteries.

Team Picnic in their fight against relegation from the UCI World Tour need as many UCI points as possible. Casper van Uden has the ability to make that happen after demonstrating his ability on stage 4 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia. He will be helped in bunch sprints by Tobias Lund Andresen and on hillier sprint stages, Lund Andresen will have chances of his own. 

After an outstanding Tour de Suisse, where he won a stage and finished third overall, Oscar Onley will look to place as high up the GC as he can.

Team Leader: Steff Cras

Objective: Stage win

Rider to watch: Jordan Jegat

Team TotalEnergies come into the 2025 Tour de France off the back of a successful 2024 edition, where they won a stage with Anthony Turgis. They bring a solid line-up to this year’s Tour de France with their leader being the Belgian Steff Cras. Cras is a rider who went through a lot last year after the huge crash in the Basque Country. He fought back brilliantly to achieve a 16th place in the general classification at the Tour de France.

Jordan Jegat is a particular rider to watch even though he is yet to win a professional bike race so far in his career. Like many other French riders, he packs a punch in an uphill finish. 

Team Leader: Jonas Vingegaard

Objective: Overall victory

Rider to watch: Victor Campenaerts

Jonas Vingegaard comes into the Tour de France after a crash at Paris-Nice in March left him with a concussion and ended his Spring campaign, keeping him off the bike until the Critérium du Dauphiné. Team Visma | Lease a Bike do, however, have an all-star lineup. The American duo of Sepp Kuss and Matteo Jorgenson will be great domestiques for Vingegaard. Indeed, Jorgenson is a backup GC option should Vingegaard falter. New arrival Simon Yates is fresh from a great Giro, where he demonstrated his capabilities in both the climbs and the time trials.

Wout van Aert will feel the release of pressure after his victory on stage 9 of the Giro d’Italia and will look to build on that confidence from the superb Siena victory. Van Aert could be set to play the role of ‘Swiss army knife’ yet again this year.

Team Leader: Julian Alaphilippe 

Objective: Stage win

Rider to watch: Michael Storer

Making their Tour de France debut, Tudor Pro Cycling will be looking to start with a bang. Their new acquisition Julian Alaphilippe leads the team and will be looking to use all of his experience to achieve a Grand Tour stage victory for Tudor. Sprinter, Alberto Dainese will need a change of fortune having not bagged a win for more than a years, though three-time Tour de France stage winner Matteo Trentin will serve as both lead-out and back up. 

Keep an eye on Michael Storer, the Australian has the ability to be involved in the general classification, but he might instead chase stage victories in the mountains after his exertions at the Giro.

Team Leader: Tadej Pogačar

Objective: Overall victory

Rider to watch: Jhonatan Narváez

Tadej Pogačar has had a markable 2025 season so far, and the big favourite for the yellow jersey will look to continue his rampage in July. Part of the thinking behind the 2025 Tour de France parcours seemed to be to try to create obstacles for Pogačar by including climbs such as the Col de La Loze, famous for his collapse there in 2023. But in truth, there is no such thing as Pogačar-proofing a bike race.

To make things even worse for his opponents, UAE Team Emirates-XRG bring a star-studded lineup. João Almeida could quite easily achieve an even greater result than last year’s fourth place were Pogačar not his teammate. Nils Politt will yet again have an important role within the team being the main rouleur of the team, but he will have some help from Marc Soler, Tim Wellens and Jhonatan Narváez.

Team Leader: Tobias Johannessen

Objective: Stage win

Rider to watch: Andreas Leknessund

UNO-X Mobility are going into their third Tour de France. Still, they search for that elusive stage victory which they so desire, but their chances are getting bigger. Magnus Cort will be the big hope for the Norwegian team as he covers both the breakaway aspect and versatile stages. For the sprint stages Søren Wærenskjold go the nod ahead of the retiring Alexander Kristoff, the younger man will hope to do better than at the Critérium du Dauphiné, where third was his best finish.

Former Tour de l'Avenir winner Tobias Halland Johannessen, will be supported in the mountains by the his twin brother, Anders Halland Johannessen as well as Andreas Leknessund. Despite breaking a collar bone two weeks ago, Jonas Abrahamsen has recovered in time to make the start. 

Team leader: Harold Tejada

Objective: UCI points

With relegation from the top tier still a possibility, despite an excellent a productive recent campaign, XDS-Astana will be desperate to claim UCI points where they can and have built a team for breakaways. One rider with a recent contribution to their points chase is Harold Tejada, who took a second place stage finish before crashing out of the Critérium du Dauphiné. Luckily the Colombian has recovered quickly and will lead the line in the mountains.

It's a long while since Mike Teunissen won a stage and wore the yellow jersey, but the Dutchman will combine with compatriot Cees Bol hoping to accrue points in the flatter, sprint stages.