Feature
Tour de France 2025 through the lens of James Startt - Stage 11
On each stage at the Tour de France, James Startt selects his image of the day, offering a unique perspective on the rolling citadel and the characters who inhabit it.
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James Startt
Toulouse featured on the route of the very first Tour de France in 1903 and the race has returned 25 times over the years. Situated on the banks of the Garonne, La Ville Rose is one of the most alluring cities in France, and a visit is always welcomed by the suiveurs of the Tour.
The city has often played host to a sprint finale, but there was a twist to this year’s visit to Toulouse, which hosted both the start and finish on stage 11. The peloton was flagged away from the city’s striking and emblematic Place du Capitole, but another, less heralded landmark provided the colour in the finale.
Tour technical director Thierry Gouvenou was reportedly alerted to the short, sharp climb of the Côte de Pech David on the outskirts of the city by a local amateur cyclist. Its inclusion on the route changed the dynamic of stage 11, and it provided the springboard for Mathieu van der Poel’s dramatic but unsuccessful pursuit of the winning break.
It also provided a natural grandstand for the spectators on the roadside. Or, as Pierre Carrey put it in Le Temps, “the Tour de France transformed Toulouse into Alpe d’Huez.”
James Startt is covering his 36th Tour de France. He is a two-time winner of the World Sports Photography awards and he currently serves as the creative director to inGamba luxury cycling tours.
