Tour
de
France
2025
5 of the most recognized and difficult stages of this year’s race
The twisty road map of the Tour de France - often described as the world’s most prestigious and challenging cycling race - features a mix of flat, hilly, and mountainous stages. The race is not just a test of individual strength but also team strategy, endurance, and resilience.
The pack with Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, passes the Arc de Triomphe during the twenty-first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 132.3 kilometers (82.1 miles) with start in Mantes-la-Ville and finish on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, France, Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Riders start during the first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 184.9 kilometers (114.9 miles) with start and finish in Lille, France, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
STAGE 1
LILLE MÉTROPOLE to LILLE MÉTROPOLE (Start)
Length
184.9 km
Type
Flat
D+
1150m
The Tour de France began with the Grand Départ in Lille, a northern French city near the Belgian border. It marked the official start of the race with a festive celebration.
Stage 2: This stage was the longest trek of this year’s race with about 4 kilometers of climbing. It favors strong climbers and aggressive breakaway riders.
Belgium's Jasper Philipsen wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey takes the start of the second stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 209.1 kilometers (129.9 miles) with start in Lauwin-Planque and finish in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Netherlands' Mathieu van der Poel celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the second stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 209.1 kilometers (129.9 miles) with start in Lauwin-Planque and finish in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, Sunday, July 6, 2025. Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar finished second. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
STAGE 2
LAUWIN-PLANQUE to BOULOGNE-SUR-MER (Longest stretch of 2025 Tour de France at 209.1 km)
Length
209.1 km
Type
Hilly
D+
2550m
The stretch from Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-Sur-Mer is a marathon, not a sprint. It was the longest stretch of the race at 209.1 kilometers, or 129.93 miles.
Stage 12: This stage featured several challenging climbs.
Spectators watch the breakaway group during the twelfth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 180.6 kilometers (112.2 miles) with start in Auch and finish in Hautacam, France, Thursday, July 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar crosses the finish line to win the twelfth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 180.6 kilometers (112.2 miles) with start in Auch and finish in Hautacam, France, Thursday, July 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
STAGE 12
AUCH to HAUTACAM (Pyrenees)
Length
180.6 km
Type
Mountain
D+
3850m
Auch to Hautacam was the first mountain stage of the race, with 3,850 meters in elevation over the course, or 12,631 feet. The stage introduced the Pyrenees.
Stage 16: This stage is notable for its race to the top of the famed barren mountain known as the “Beast of Provence.”
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, rides in the pack during the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5 kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Montpellier and finish on the Mont Ventoux, France, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
France's Valentin Paret Peintre crosses the finish line ahead of Ireland's Ben Healy to win the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5 kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Montpellier and finish on the Mont Ventoux, France, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Spain's Marc Soler, Belgium's Tim Wellens, Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, and Italy's Jonathan Milan, wearing the best sprinter's green jersey, ride during the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5 kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Montpellier and finish on the Mont Ventoux, France, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
STAGE 16
MONTPELLIER to MONT VENTOUX
Length
171.5 km
Type
Mountain
D+
2950m
The 16th stage may seem straightforward at the start, but riders had to ascend to one of the highest point in elevation of the race. Mont Ventoux returned to the route after four years.
Stage 21: The final stage features a cobbled climb before riders enter Paris to complete 3 laps of the iconic landmark.
The pack cycles past the Eiffel Tower during the twenty-first and last stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 137.5 kilometers (85.4 miles) with start in Evry and finish in Paris, France, Sunday, July 27, 2014. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, passes the Arc de Triomphe during the twenty-first and last stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 108.4 kilometers (67.4 miles) with start in Chatou and finish on the Champs Elysees in Paris, France,Sunday, July 18, 2021. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)
STAGE 21
MANTES-LA-VILLE>PARIS CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES (Finish)
Length
132.3 km
Type
Flat
D+
1100m
The final stage of the Tour de France concluded at the iconic Champs-Elysees in Paris with Slovenian rider Tadej Pogačar winning his fourth Tour title. But before riders crossed the finish line, they had to face the cobbled streets of Côte de la Butte Montmartre three times.
Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia reacts after the twenty-first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 132.3 kilometers (82.1 miles) with start in Mantes-la-Ville and finish on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, France, Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, the Tour de France winner, is greeted by his partner Urska Zigart after finishing, the twenty-first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 132.3 kilometers (82.1 miles) with start in Mantes-la-Ville and finish on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, France, Sunday, July 27, 2025. (Yoan Valat, Pool Photo via AP)
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, pedals by the Sacre Coeur basilica in the Montmartre district, during the last stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Mantes-la-Ville and Paris, Sunday, July 27, 2025 in Paris (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, pedals at the Place de Tertre in the Montmartre district, during the last stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Mantes-la-Ville and Paris, Sunday, July 27, 2025 in Paris (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
A boy shouts as the pack rides up the Montmartre hill during the last stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Mantes-la-Ville and Paris, Sunday, July 27, 2025 in Paris (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
The pack with Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, rides during the twenty-first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 132.3 kilometers (82.1 miles) with start in Mantes-la-Ville and finish on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, France, Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Dancers, one riding a bicycle, perform outside the Moulin Rouge cabaret during the last stage of the Tour de France cycling race between Mantes-la-Ville and Paris, Sunday, July 27, 2025 in Paris (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, rides in the pack during the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
The pack rides during the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 172.2 kilometers (107 miles) with start in Amiens and finish in Rouen, France, Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
The pack rides past a field of sunflowers during the eleventh stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 156.8 kilometers (97.4 miles) with start and finish in Toulouse, France, Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, and Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard sprint towards the finish line of the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5 kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Montpellier and finish on the Mont Ventoux, France, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
The pack rides during the second stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 209.1 kilometers (129.9 miles) with start in Lauwin-Planque and finish in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Fans watch the riders during the first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 184.9 kilometers (114.9 miles) with start and finish in Lille, France, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Spectators take photos of the riders during the eleventh stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 156.8 kilometers (97.4 miles) with start and finish in Toulouse, France, Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard crosses the finish line of the thirteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time-trial over 10.5 kilometers (6.5 miles) in the Pyrenees mountains with start in Loudenvielle and finish in Peyragudes, France, Friday, July 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, right, celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 172.2 kilometers (107 miles) with start in Amiens and finish in Rouen, France, Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Italy's Vincenzo Albanese rides past a field of sunflowers during the eleventh stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 156.8 kilometers (97.4 miles) with start and finish in Toulouse, France, Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Stage winner France's Valentin Paret Peintre leads in the breakaway with Ireland's Ben Healy, in pink, and Colombia's Santiago Buitrago, in white, in the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5 kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Montpellier and finish on the Mont Ventoux, France, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
For continuing coverage on the Tour De France visit Tour-De-France-Behind-The-Story.
