Tour de France 2025 through the lens of James Startt - Stage 5
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.
On his Tour de France debut four years ago, Mathieu van der Poel produced a stirring performance in the stage 5 time trial in Laval to fend off Tadej Pogačar and retain the yellow jersey.
There were echoes of that history in Caen on Wednesday, even if circumstances meant there would be no repeat of the feat. Van der Poel began the day in yellow, but locked on time with Pogačar. It was already clear before he set out that he would lose the maillot jaune, most likely to his friendly rival Pogačar.
Yet that didn’t prevent Van der Poel from putting up a wholehearted defence of the famous garment on Wednesday, thrashing his way around the 33km course in excess of 51.5kph en route to 18th place on the stage.
Van der Poel’s power is evident in this shot, and so too is the appreciation of a crowd that holds a partial claim on the grandson of the late Raymond Poulidor. The Dutchman lost yellow in Caen, but he might soon be shaping up for a tilt at the green jersey.
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.
