With the unveiling of the 2025 Tour de France route, it is evident what the organization’s intentions are. ASO has designed a course with few (flat) time trial kilometers, and they are returning to spots where Jonas Vingegaard has previously achieved substantial success. Furthermore, the additional seconds for summit finishes have been deleted. The goal is to set up a new clash between the Dane and his longtime opponent, Tadej Pogacar. France wishes to avoid a recurrence of last year.
Six mountain stages, six summit finishes: the course planners have chosen great classics. The Tour de France concludes on Mont Ventoux, although other renowned climbs like as the Col du Tourmalet, Hautacam, and La Plagne are also on the itinerary. The three weeks of racing in France are plenty of elevation. At first appearance, the course appears to be designed specifically for Pogacar, but what course isn’t? With the opening stage in Lille and the subsequent tough stages, ASO hopes to prevent the Slovenian from grabbing the yellow jacket on 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 linked to trauma could go either way for Pogacar
The Col de la Loze can properly be described as the darkest day of Pogacar’s career. During the 2023 Tour de France, he broke down on the slopes of this Alpine pass, losing nearly six minutes to the yellow jersey leader. Tour director Christian Prudhomme appears to be trying to strike dread in the defending champion. However, for the Slovenian, it might also be a chance for redemption: after demonstrating his strength in the recent Tour with a resounding victory, he could strengthen his position on a course where he previously failed. For Vingegaard, this course offers a another boost: he knows he has already defeated his competitor 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.
Opening week set up for another showdown: MVDP vs WVA
