Tour de France 2025 Preview: Route, Key Stages & Favorites for Yellow Jersey

📅 Tour de France 2025 Preview: Introduction: A Classic Tour with a Modern Twist

The 112th edition of the Tour de France kicks off on Saturday, July 5th, 2025, in Lille. After recent foreign Grand Départs in Bilbao and Florence, this year’s race returns to French soil, concluding with a unique twist on tradition: a final stage in Paris that features a cobbled climb of Montmartre before the iconic Champs-Élysées finish.

Over three weeks, the race travels from the north of France to the high peaks of the Pyrenees and the Alps. Riders face a balanced route with sprint opportunities early, followed by a brutal second half filled with summit finishes, legendary climbs, and a final Alpine showdown. The route offers drama for sprinters, climbers, and general classification (GC) contenders alike.

Daily previews of each stage will be published throughout the race exclusively on thetipster.com.

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🌍 Tour de France 2025 Preview: Route Overview: North to South, Flat to Ferocious

The Tour opens with sprinter-friendly stages through Lille, Boulogne-sur-Mer, and Dunkerque before heading toward Normandy and Brittany. Week one features a mix of flat and rolling stages, including a 33 km individual time trial in Caen.

The real mountains arrive in week two, starting with the Massif Central on Bastille Day. From there, the peloton heads into the Pyrenees with legendary ascents like Hautacam and Peyragudes, before the final week brings an Alpine barrage: Mont Ventoux, Col de la Loze, and La Plagne. A brutal climbing time trial and ultra-hard mountain stages in the final days could decide the race.

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🚴 Tour de France 2025 Preview: Stage Highlights & Key Battles

Stage 10 (July 14) – Ennezat to Le Mont-Dore

• The Bastille Day mountain stage with 4,300+ meters of climbing.
• Finishes with the double punch of Col de la Croix Saint-Robert and Puy de Sancy.
• GC shakeup expected as teams struggle to control the action.

Stage 12 – Auch to Hautacam

• First high-mountain finish in the Pyrenees.
• Final 60 km includes Soulor, Bordères, and Hautacam.
• Perfect terrain for attacks from climbers and favorites alike.

Stage 13 – Loudenvielle to Peyragudes (Climbing ITT)

• A 10.9 km uphill time trial that could create GC gaps.

Stage 14 – Pau to Superbagnères

• Nearly 5,000 meters of climbing over Tourmalet, Aspin, Peyresourde.
• Historic return to Superbagnères with potential fireworks.

Stage 16 – Montpellier to Mont Ventoux

• The mythical climb returns with its classic 15.7 km ascent at 8.8%.
• The final climb alone could define a contender's Tour.

Stage 18 – Vif to Col de la Loze

• The hardest stage of the Tour: Glandon, Madeleine, and Loze.
• Over 5,400 meters of climbing and no place to hide.

Stage 19 – Albertville to La Plagne

• A short (129.9 km) but relentless Alpine battle.
• The last mountain test before Paris.

Stage 21 – Mantes-la-Ville to Paris (Montmartre + Champs-Élysées)

• A new finale with cobbled climbing before the traditional sprint.
• Will GC gaps survive the Montmartre punch?

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🏆 Tour de France 2025 Preview: GC Favorites: Pogacar vs Vingegaard, Again

Tadej Pogacar (1.35 odds)

• Defending champion with three Tour titles.
• Dominated the Spring Classics and won the Giro in 2024.
• Excellent team with Joao Almeida and Adam Yates for support.

Jonas Vingegaard (3.40 odds)

• Two-time Tour winner (2022, 2023), recovering from crash.
• Strong Dauphiné showing signals return to form.
• Backed by powerhouse teammates: Jorgenson, Kuss, Van Aert.

Remco Evenepoel (10.00 odds)

• Time trial threat, still searching for GC consistency in the mountains.
• Showed potential in Dauphiné but outclassed on climbs.

Primoz Roglic (26.00 odds)

• Veteran with Vuelta and Giro wins, now 35.
• Paired with breakout star Florian Lipowitz.

Outsiders

• Joao Almeida, Matteo Jorgenson, Florian Lipowitz, Matthias Skjelmose, Felix Gall all have the talent to disrupt the podium.

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🚀 Tour de France 2025 Preview: Final Thoughts: Most Brutal Tour in Years?

With seven mountain stages, two time trials (including one uphill), and several summit finishes in the final week, the Tour de France 2025 is one of the most demanding routes in recent memory. Pogacar may start as favorite, but Vingegaard, Evenepoel, and a deep pool of contenders will make every stage a battle.

From Mont Ventoux to Col de la Loze, and finally Montmartre in Paris, this Tour promises action, unpredictability, and unforgettable moments.