Tour de France 2025 stage 16: Ventoux awaits the brave

Tour de France 2025 stage 16 finishes on the iconic Mont Ventoux. After a flat run-in from Montpellier, expect fireworks on the brutal 15.7km ascent. Can anyone stop Pogacar?

Sports News

by The Tipster

2 weeks ago 0 105

Tour de France 2025 stage 16

🚴‍♂️ Long solo from Wellens, calm in GC battle

Before the iconic showdown on Mont Ventoux, stage 15 of Tour de France 2025 offered a more tactical challenge. And Belgian champion Tim Wellens made the most of it.

Launching a bold solo attack with 42 kilometres to go, Wellens powered away from a fragmented breakaway group to take his first Tour stage win – adding to earlier victories in the Giro and Vuelta. Victor Campenaerts took second, while Julian Alaphilippe rounded out the podium.

The GC group rolled in safely six minutes down, with Tadej Pogacar retaining the yellow jersey. Behind him, no changes in the top 10 — though Remco Evenepoel remains a notable absentee after his abandon two days prior.

🗻 The Beast of Provence returns Tour de France 2025 stage 16

Tour de France 2025 stage 16 starts in Montpellier and ends on the legendary Mont Ventoux. The 171.5 km stage might look tame on paper – with mostly flat roads – but the final climb is anything but.

From the village of Bédoin, the peloton will tackle Ventoux’s classic side: 15.7 kilometres at an average gradient of 8.8%, with stretches up to 10% in the forested lower slopes. After Chalet Reynard, the riders emerge into the barren, wind-swept upper slopes – a moonscape that has broken many a champion.

It’s a climb of legends. And today, it could define the Tour.

🔥 What kind of race can we expect?

With a long, flat approach to Ventoux, this stage sets up one of two scenarios:

The breakaway wins the day – GC teams allow a large group of non-threatening riders to go up the road, with the stage victory decided well before Pogacar even hits the summit.
The big guns go to war – UAE Team Emirates, Visma | Lease a Bike or Ineos might seize the opportunity to unleash a showdown between GC stars.

The first scenario seems more likely, but if Pogacar, Vingegaard or Lipowitz sense a weakness or an opportunity, we could see fireworks among the favourites.

⭐ Favourites for Tour de France 2025 stage 16

This climb rewards climbers with pure power and steady pacing. It’s a monster of rhythm, not necessarily one for explosive attacks.

Top favourites:
*** Sepp Kuss – thrives on long climbs, often flies under the radar
*** Santiago Buitrago – strong climber, perfect terrain
*** Thymen Arensman – coming off a big solo win, in form

Outsiders to watch:
** Michael Woods, Michael Storer, Lenny Martinez, Simon Yates
* Pogacar, Vingegaard, Adam Yates, Matteo Jorgenson