Tour de France 2025 Stage 18: Col de la Loze Awaits a Brutal Showdown in the Alps

Tour de France 2025 Stage 18 is a monster. With 171.5 kilometers of racing and over 5,450 meters of elevation gain, this is the toughest mountain stage of the Tour. The route includes three legendary climbs: Col du Glandon, Col de la Madeleine, and the grueling Col de la Loze. There is no respite — and for riders chasing yellow, no room for mistakes.

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Climb #1 – Col du Glandon: Irregular and Relentless

After a rolling start from Vif, the race heads into the first major test: Col du Glandon, a 21.7-kilometre climb averaging 5.1%. That average hides plenty of brutal double-digit ramps. Riders who go too hard here could pay dearly later on.

The GC teams may stay passive at this point, but a large breakaway is likely to form, full of strong climbers hoping the favorites hesitate.

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Climb #2 – Col de la Madeleine: Classic, Steep and Cruel

Next up is the Col de la Madeleine, a consistent 19.2-kilometre slog at 7.9%. The road is wide and predictable, making it ideal for team efforts — or systematic destruction. If a team like UAE or Visma | Lease a Bike wants to up the tempo, this is the place.

Expect the group of favorites to shrink here, even if no attacks fly just yet. This is where legs begin to crack.

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Climb #3 – Col de la Loze: The Queen of the Alps

The final climb of Tour de France 2025 Stage 18 is the longest and cruelest: Col de la Loze. It stretches 26.4 kilometres at an average gradient of 6.5%. Again, that average is misleading.

With 5 km to go, the road pitches up to 11%, then eases briefly before hitting another wall near the summit. The narrow, irregular nature of the Loze makes it hard to settle into a rhythm — perfect for explosive climbers like Tadej Pogacar or Jonas Vingegaard.

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Tactics, Timing and Suffering

The valley between the Madeleine and Loze may discourage long-range attacks. But once the final climb begins, all bets are off. This is where GC riders must risk everything.

If Jonas Vingegaard wants to claw back his 4+ minute deficit to Pogacar, he has to make his move here. But Tour de France 2025 Stage 18 isn't just about the yellow jersey — riders like Thymen Arensman, Carlos Rodriguez, and Enric Mas could aim for the stage win from a strong breakaway.

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Final Words on Tour de France 2025 Stage 18

With three weeks of racing in their legs, many riders will be on the brink. Tour de France 2025 Stage 18 is not only a test of climbing, but of survival. Whoever crosses the finish line first atop Col de la Loze will have conquered one of the hardest stages in recent Tour history.

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