The 2025 Tour de France route was presented today. It includes some familiar mountains for us, as we’ll be returning to the Hautacam, Mont Ventoux, and Col de la Loze. Memories! 🤩 What’s your favorite memory?
The anti-Pogacar Tour de France route? Vingegaard, Visma | Lease a Bike and Van Aert get everything their hearts desire
CyclingWednesday, 30 October 2024 at 13:15
With the announcement of the 2025 Tour de France route, it seems clear what the organization’s intention is. ASO has chosen a course with relatively few (flat) time trial kilometers, and they’re returning to locations where Jonas Vingegaard has had significant success in the past. Also, the bonus seconds at summit finishes have been removed. The aim is to set up a new showdown between the Dane and his great rival, Tadej Pogacar. France wants to avoid a repeat of last year.
Six mountain stages, six summit finishes: the course designers have opted for true classics. The Tour de France finishes on Mont Ventoux, and other legendary climbs like the Col du Tourmalet, Hautacam and La Plagne are also on the menu. The three weeks of racing in France are packed with elevation. At first glance, the course seems tailored for Pogacar, but honestly, what course wouldn’t be? With the opening stage in Lille and the following hilly stages, ASO aims to prevent the Slovenian from claiming the yellow jersey from day one.
With so many summit finishes, the world champion is surely salivating, but there’s a deeper story behind the Tour organization’s choices. Pogacar has a history on Peyragudes, Hautacam, Mont Ventoux and the Col de la Loze. On Peyragudes, he narrowly defeated his Visma | Lease a Bike rival, but the following day, UAE Team Emirates’ leader was soundly beaten on the way to Hautacam, thanks in part to a strong Wout van Aert. And who can forget the memorable ride to Malaucène, where Vingegaard showed Pogacar his heels for the first time in 2021? For Visma | LaB, that’s the exact place they secured a double whammy, if you will, as Van Aert won that stage. The team has already expressed delight with the route.
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Places related to trauma could go either way for Pogacar
The Col de la Loze can rightfully be called the darkest day of Pogacar’s career. During the 2023 Tour de France, he broke down on the slopes of this Alpine pass, losing almost six minutes to the yellow jersey holder. It’s as if Tour director Christian Prudhomme wants to instill a bit of fear in the defending champion. However, for the Slovenian, it could also be an opportunity for redemption: after proving his strength in the recent Tour with a dominant victory, he could solidify his standing on ground where he previously faltered. For Vingegaard, this course offers an added boost: he knows he’s already beaten his rival on Hautacam and the Col de la Loze.
By removing bonus seconds at summit finishes, the organization aims to send a message. Pogacar won four summit finishes in 2024, and they hope this will make the Slovenian’s sprinting prowess less decisive in the general classification. It also gives breakaway riders more chances. In the true mountain stages, attackers stood no chance against the might of UAE Team Emirates, Visma | Lease a Bike and Soudal Quick-Step. Now, without extra time up for grabs, the breakaway group might be less tempting to chase.
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A sprint between Pogacar and Vingegaard will be all about the stage win in 2025
Opening week set up for another showdown: MVDP vs WVA
Now, enough about the two main rivals. There are three weeks of racing ahead, and they can hardly win every stage. Alongside the mountain stages, the first week will also be a highlight. A start in northern France usually means flat, flat and more flat, but not this time: there are only two full sprint opportunities in the first week. Instead, there’s a series of hilly stages, with plenty of elevation and short, sharp climbs. The punchers are already dreaming about their chances, no doubt. The yellow jersey is within reach.
While there’s a two-man race brewing for the general classification, a similar duel seems to be shaping up in the first week. Who else but Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert are likely to be favorites for the yellow jersey in week one? With challenging finishes in stages two, four, six and seven, things look promising (or rather, yellow) for the rivals. And don’t forget the time trial in Caen: 33 kilometers of flat asphalt, which suits Van Aert well. But the Glasgow world champion also knows how to handle a time trial: in a similar situation, Van der Poel managed to defend his yellow jersey in 2021.
Earlier this week, the Dutchman indicated that he wasn't certain about a potential Tour start. He might consider returning to mountain biking in the summer, as that remains a major goal. But with such an enticing first week, including a return to the Mûr-de-Bretagne, where he claimed his emotional Tour stage (and the yellow jersey), it’ll be hard to say no to mister Prudhomme. For Alpecin-Deceuninck, this could also be the perfect opportunity for a unique one-two punch: Jasper Philipsen already has his sights set on the first stage, and Van der Poel could take over in the following stages.
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Latest Comments
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024
- This is not a gravel race. UCI fail, from the surface they are on to team tactics. In what country was the first "gravel race" in what country is the most popular gravel race? Go with the race model that created the discipline.
Barnes127411-10-2024 - And don't forget he has now won 4 of the big 10 races (Grand tours, Monuments and WC/OG) in one year with a chance to make that 5. (5 has only been done once before)Joostmehrtens05-10-2024