The five key stages of the 2025 Tour de France

The 2025 edition of the Tour de France looks to be a well-designed and balanced route, with some very difficult stages that will be key in the fight for the yellow jersey. Defending champion Tadej Pogačar comes into the race as the favourite to win a fourth Tour, but one man who will have something to say about that is Jonas Vingegaard, who proved in 2022 and 2023 that he can get the better of the Slovenian on the biggest stage of them all. Remco Evenepoel rounded out the podium twelve months ago, and each rider alongside their teams will have highlighted the stages which suit their strengths and the ones which could prove most pivotal in the general classification.

Stage 10 from Ennezat to Le Mont-Dore Puy De Sancy on Bastille Day might appear deceptively moderate with no major mountains, but presents a relentless challenge with over 4,400 metres of climbing across 163 kilometres. "There is hardly a metre of flat," in this stage that comes after nine consecutive days of racing, potentially catching tired riders off guard on France's national holiday, Bastille Day.

The mountain time trial on Stage 13 from Loudenvielle to Peyragudes will force riders to tackle the infamous '007' altiport runway finish. The riders have less than two kilometres to build momentum before hitting the ascent. When the climb of Peyragudes last featured in 2022 edition of the Tour, Tadej Pogačar outsprinted race leader Jonas Vingegaard on the steep ramp to the line.

Stage 14 presents four legendary Pyrenean climbs, including the Col du Tourmalet, Col d'Aspin, Col de Peyresourde, and finishes on Luchon-Superbagnères. With nearly 5,000 metres of climbing over 183 kilometres and coming immediately after the mountain time trial, this stage represents a historic challenge. The Luchon-Superbagnères finish returns for the first time since 1989, a climb where legends such as Greg Lemond and Robert Millar have triumphed.

The queen stage arrives on Stage 18, starting in Vif and finishing atop the Col de la Loze. Three hors category climbs, including Col du Glandon, Col de la Madeleine, and the final ascent to Courchevel Col de la Loze, combine for 5,500 metres of elevation gain. The finish climb, which peaks at approximately 2,300 metres above sea level, was the scene of Pogačar's famous "I'm gone, I'm dead" moment in 2023.

The final decisive mountain battle comes on Stage 19 from Albertville to La Plagne, featuring the last summit finish of the race. With nearly 4,800 metres of climbing condensed into just 130 kilometres, this stage includes the Col du Pré and Cormet de Roseland before the final summit finish of the race to La Plagne.

This looks like it has all the makings to be a potentially epic stage of the Tour de France on Bastille Day, France’s national Holiday. For French riders, there's no bigger day in the Tour de France than 14 July. The stage doesn't stand out initially due to a lack of a major mountain; however, it is a stage that must not be taken lightly or underestimated, and a brief look into the profile makes that very clear. In fact, the seven categorised climbs on the route are ranked category 2 or lower, but this doesn’t mean things will be easy, as there is hardly a metre of flat packed into the 163 kilometres from Ennezat to Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy.

In total, there are over 4,400 metres of climbing, illustrating that the accumulation of the relentless parcours, means that this stage will be a pivotal one for the riders who want to win the 2025 Tour de France. Another key factor as to why this stage will be difficult is that it will be the tenth consecutive day of racing, to avoid the first rest day being on Bastille Day. The fatigue will have already set in for many, and this is the type of stage that won’t be a welcome sight for a lot of riders.

We often see huge fights to get into breakaways on hilly stages at the Tour, and this stage has the potential to see a very long fight to get up the road, and this could see the race split into pieces in the early part. The Côte de Loubeyrat (4.1km at 6.3%) looks set to serve as a launchpad for attacks at the start of the stage. 

The climbs of the Côte de La Baraque (4.8km at 7.4%), Côte de Charade (5.1km at 6.8), and the Côte de Berzet (3.4km at 7.4%) will at the very least, sting the legs, and dare we say it, could be crucial in establishing the breakaway, that is if the fight hasn't settled down already. There are certain stages in grand tours where the fight for the breakaway is never-ending, and this has the potential to be one of those stages with what's at stake. 

The next trio of climbs could see some action among the general classification as they come within the final third of the stage. The tension will likely build on the Col de Guéry (3.4km at 5.7%) and the Col de la Croix (3.4km at 5.7%). However, the climb where a major attack seems most profitable is on the slopes of the Col de la Croix Saint-Robert (5.1km at 6.4%). It may entice riders to attack as the summit comes just over 10 kilometres from the finish. 

If anyone does plan to attack on this climb, one thing they will need to keep in mind is the difficult stage finish at Le Mont-Dore, on the Puy de Sancy (3.3km at 8%). It's the type of climb that would be easy to go into the red too soon in a relatively straightforward race, let alone at the end of this beast of a stage. It seems very probable that there will be important changes in the general classification at the end of Bastille Day.

In recent years at the Tour de France, the inclusion of a mountain time-trial has often proved pivotal in establishing the strongest rider in the race, and has even seen the winner be decided in these difficult races against the clock's such as Tadej Pogačar in 2020, on La Planche des Belles Filles. The second individual time-trial of the 2025 Tour de France is completely different to the first, as it is a mountain time trial that finishes atop the Peyragudes, featuring the extremely steep ramp up the '007' James Bond altiport runway. This is the first time that Peyragudes features as a stage finish since stage 17 in 2022, where Tadej Pogačar, in the white jersey, outsprinted race leader Jonas Vingegaard to the win. In the end, this was a consolation for Pogačar as he would have to settle for a runners-up spot on the podium in Paris behind Vingegaard.

This is not like a normal time trial, as the riders will have little time to build into their effort before they are on the slopes of the Peyragudes climb. Within two kilometres of the start, the riders will be on the slopes of the Peyragudes climb, meaning that a proper and thorough warm-up will be crucial. 

In total, the climb is 8 kilometres long, with an average gradient of 7.9%, and its steep nature is something which doesn't relent throughout. In fact, the most formidable section of the climb is the final few hundred metres where the gradients are punishing and the riders look like their bikes are stuck in quicksand, such is the steepness. With this in mind, a rider can blow up and lose plenty of time even when within sight of the finish line. Time-trials are all about timing your effort to perfection, and that will be fundamental to success atop the Peyragudes.

Coming off the back of two tough and different mountain days, the Tour continues into its third and final stage in the Pyrenees with a 183-kilometre expedition from Pau to Luchon-Superbagnerès. Pau is a town synonymous with the Tour de France and the Pyrenees, and is the joint second most visited location in the race's history, only behind the capital, Paris, dating back to its first appearance in 1930.

The route is based on stage 14 from the 1986 edition of the Tour, which was the penultimate time that a stage finished atop Superbagnères, and was won by Greg LeMond of La Vie Claire, who would carry the yellow jersey to Paris. Robert Millar also won atop Supebagnères three years later in 1989, which is one of the most iconic editions in Tour de France history, also won overall by LeMond. That was the last time that the climb featured in the Tour, but after a 36-year absence, the climb returns.

Despite being a crucial mountain stage, the first 70 kilometres are relatively flat, up until the intermediate sprint at Esquièze. It will be interesting to see the dynamics of the breakaway fight, as the early advantage will be with the heavier and more powerful riders compared to the lightweight climbers, who will thrive later on in the stage. This could be an advantage to riders who are trying to win the stage from the breakaway, because if they can get up the road with a rouleur-like teammate or two, said teammate could work hard in the opening 70 kilometres to build out a big advantage whilst the climber preserves as much energy as possible in the wheels ahead of the mountains to come.

Things change significantly around the 70 kilometre mark, however, as the formidable Col du Tourmalet (19km at 7.4%) awaits. It's the third consecutive year that the iconic Pyrenean climb is set to feature in the race, and the Souvenir Jacques Goddet will be awarded to the rider who is first to cross the summit. On the slopes of the Tourmalet, the size of the front breakaway group and the general classification group should splinter significantly, despite the summit being over 90 kilometres from the finish line. Another important aspect of the Tourmalet is the altitude, as the summit of the climb is one of the highest points of the race at 2,115 metres above sea level.

In most races, the presence of the Col d'Aspin (5km at 7.6%) and Col de Peyrasourde (7.1km at 7.8%) would stand out as major climbs, but both are dwarfed by the two hors category climbs on the stage, despite the difficult challenges that both offer. The summit of the Col d'Aspin comes around 60 kilometres from the finish, and the Col de Peyrasourde, 32 kilometres, meaning that a major attack would have to be well planned and attempted by an extremely strong and confident rider, with what is still to come on the stage.  

The conclusion of stage 14 is set for a showdown on the slopes of Superbagnéres (12.4km at 7.5%), and the inconsistent nature of the climb is likely to lead to a key battle between the GC contenders. Being the third consecutive stage to finish at the top of a mountain, fatigue will likely become an important factor in this stage

Stage 18 is the queen stage of the 2025 Tour and could prove to be the most pivotal day of the entire race. Beginning in Vif in southeastern France, the peloton will take on three iconic hors category climbs in the Alps that span over 171 kilometres, and 5,500 metres of elevation gain, en route to the summit of the Col de la Loze, making this one of the toughest stages in recent Tour history. In terms of elevation gain, this is the toughest stage of the Tour de France since stage 16 back in 2007, and it's the 5th most mountainous stage in the Tour since 2000, and it's easy to understand why as you begin to delve into the stage profile. As well as being a pivotal day for the general classification, stage 18 could also serve as a crucial opportunity to take control in the mountains classification with an abundance of points up for grabs on the three hors category climbs. 

First is the historic Col du Glandon (21.7km at 5.1%), which last featured on a stage of the Tour back in 2015 when the recently retired Romain Bardet won with a 35-kilometre solo effort on stage 18, the first of four Tour stage wins for the Frenchman. The Gladon is a climb broken up by a couple of short plateaus and descents, which skews the average gradient of 5.1%. In reality, the climbing gradients of the Glandon are even more difficult than what the categorisation suggests. The summit of the climb falls marginally short of 2,000 metres above sea level, standing at 1,924 metres, but altitude will become an increasingly important feature as the stage goes on. 

Quickly following the long descent of the Glandon is another iconic climb in the form of the Col de la Madeleine (19.2km at 7.9%), which has twice served as the location for the Souvenir Henri Desgrange (highest point of the Tour de France) at 2,000 metres above sea level. The climb was first included in the Tour de France in 1969 on a stage won by Belgian rider Herman Van Springel. The last time that the Tour included the double feature of the Col de la Madeleine and Col de la Loze, in 2020 on stage 17, Miguel Ángel López was victorious, whilst behind Primož Roglic in the yellow jersey took 15 seconds on a 21-year-old Tadej Pogačar, setting himself up for what looked to be a maiden Tour de France victory. However, as we all know, the time gained on this stage wouldn't prove to be sufficient enough to save the yellow jersey after the La Planche Des Belle Filles time-trial on stage 20 where Pogačar completed one of the most remarkable turnarounds in Tour history.

With the Col de la Loze still to come, it would take a lot of fortitude to attack on the slopes of the Madeleine; however, the first two hors category climbs on the stage are likely to naturally split the race apart due to their difficulty, regardless of attacks. It could be a really small GC group towards the top of the Madeleine and it's a question of whether there are superdomestiques in the group, or key GC riders distanced, which will determine whether there will be consequential action or if the riders will try to preserve energy for the hardest climb of the 2025 Tour de France.

Pogačar and Vingegaard have history with one another on the demanding slopes of the Col de la Loze (26.4km at 6.5%), and it's the Dane who will have the better memories of their previous encounter on the climb in 2023. A day after delivering one of the most impressive time trials in Tour de France history, Vingegaard sealed the deal on the slopes of the Col de la Loze, as Pogačar cracked and delivered the "I'm gone, I'm dead," moment, shipping 5:45 on the stage to the Dane which all but confirmed a 2nd Tour victory for Vingegaard. If there is one stage that Vingegaard and Visma | Lease a Bike will consider a crucial stage to master in 2025 if they are to topple Pogačar, it is likely going to be stage 18. 

The Col de la Loze will be slightly different this year as the riders reach Courchevel before the final four kilometres, which are set on a cycle track where race director Christian Prudhomme says that the route is just as irregular as in its previous appearances. As we have also seen in the past, the altitude on the climb can play a significant role as the summit is 2,304 metres above sea level. The summit serves as the setting for the Souvenir Henri Desgrange for the 2025 Tour, the highest point of the race. In its two previous appearances, the climb's summit was also the location for the prize, illustrating the significance of the altitude. Will this stage be the deciding factor for this year's Tour in the battle between Pogačar and Vingegaard, just as it was two years ago?

Based on the amount of elevation gain in a stage, here are the top 5 stages of the Tour de France since 2000 with the most metres of climbing. Stage 18 of the 2025 Tour sits in 5th place and is the toughest on paper for 18 years.

Stage 19 presents the final major mountain stage of the 2025 Tour with a 130-kilometre affair from Albertville to La Plagne. In total, the stage features five categorised climbs, two of which are hors categorised climbs. Another factor to consider is the fatigue that the riders will be experiencing this deep into a grand tour, especially after the queen stage, which takes place a day before this one.

The stage starts in Albertville, and attention will immediately turn to the intermediate sprint at Ugine, which comes 8 kilometres into the stage. If there is still an open competition in the points classification, we can expect a fast start to the stage, especially if there are any pure sprinters still in the running for the classification. 

Things change shortly after the intermediate sprint as the road travels uphill with two climbs broken up for a short 3-kilometre descent in the middle. First is the second category Côte d'Héry-sur-Ugine (11.3km at 5.1%), followed by the short descent before the road rises once more with the first category Col des Saisies (13.7km at 6.4%). Essentially, it's nearly 25 kilometres of relentless climbing, and the stage will only continue to become more difficult because after a long descent of the Col des Saisies, the riders will take on the first hors category climb of the stage. 

The Col du Pré (12.6km at 7.7%) is planted around the middle portion of the stage and should see the peloton reduced significantly to a small group of the strongest GC contenders and maybe a few superdomestiques. Having featured only twice before at the Tour, the climb only made its debut in 2018 on stage 11, where Geraint Thomas claimed his first Tour stage win and moved into the yellow jersey. The climb returned in 2021 on stage 9 when Ben O'Connor won from the breakaway to jump up to 2nd in the GC. 

The climb is more than difficult enough for a team to set an aggressive pace, and for it to be effective, in causes trouble for other GC riders. This is compounded by the second category, Cormet de Roseland (5.9km at 6.3%), which quickly follows after a short 2-kilometre descent and small plateau section. The summit of this climb comes just under 50 kilometres from the finish. If anyone is planning to attack on either the Col du Pré or Cormet de Roseland, it would be useful to place a satellite rider or two in the breakaway as there is a lengthy valley section where the pace could fizzle out if it is only GC riders on their own out front, because they will need to save energy for what is to come.

La Plagne (19.1km at 7.2%) is the setting for the final summit finish of the 2025 Tour, and we will certainly see action on its slopes. Regardless of whether the yellow jersey is still up for grabs, the race will split to pieces on La Plagne if it hasn't already beforehand. Laurent Fignon was victorious on two occasions when the climb featured as a summit finish at the end of the Tour de France in 1984 and 1987. The climb hasn't featured at the Tour for 23 years, when the Dutchman Michael Boogerd claimed the 2nd Tour stage of his career. Even though there are still two interesting profiles remaining, stage 19 presents the final opportunity to turn the race on its head with the major time differences that a mountain stage of this nature can produce.

Although this article is about five stages that could decide the 2025 Tour de France, it would be criminal not to include a stage that features one of the most iconic climbs in all of cycling, the mighty Mont Ventoux, so here's a bonus stage.

Unlike the other stages on this list, stage 16 is predominantly flat for the first 150 kilometres before the profile of the stage changes dramatically for the final 15 kilometres, where the Mont Ventoux awaits. This is a unipuerto stage, one which has a single mountain-top finish, meaning that the dynamics of how this climb will be raced compared to a packed-out mountain stage is different.

There will be more riders who are fresh at the base of the climb, meaning that the fight for position will be excruciatingly high and having a strong team to keep a safe and strong position will be key for the general classification contenders.

Mont Ventoux is one of the most iconic climbs in the sport for plenty of strong reasons. Firstly, the sheer difficulty of the 15.7 kilometre-long slopes that average 8.8% is the perfect arena where legends can be made. Secondly, the climb is unique in that the upper slopes are super exposed to the wind, and this barren landscape with the lighthouse that can be seen from miles away is one of the most recognisable images in the sport. 

Finally, many riders have etched themselves into the history books on the brutal slopes, such as Eddy Merckx, Marco Pantani and Chris Froome. Tragedy struck on the climb when the legendary Tom Simpson passed away after collapsing on the slopes back in 1967. A memorial to the first ever British world champion was erected on the slopes of Ventoux around 1 kilometre from the summit, and thousands of cyclists visit the memorial every year to remember one of the pioneers of cycling.

This is also the first time that a Tour stage finishes atop Mont Ventoux during the Pogačar-Vingegaard era, and there's no doubt that both would love to add their name to the iconic list of previous winners on the climb and write yet another chapter into the history books. The duo did do battle on the climb during the 2021 Tour, the very first major battle between the duo, and it was the first time that Pogačar had been distanced by the Dane. Will this encounter from four years ago play any psychological part come this July?