The Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées enters its fourth edition in 2025 with a cleaner slate and growing credibility. For a race still in its infancy, it has already experienced the full spectrum – from embarrassment and protest to steady recovery and ambition. Three past winners, three contrasting stories: Krista Doebel-Hickok’s commanding win in 2022, Marta Cavalli’s composed climb up Hautacam during the 2023 rider strike, and Usoa Ostolaza’s measured control of the 2024 edition.
Few will forget 2023. Held under the name CIC-Tour Féminin Pyrénées, the race fell apart under serious safety concerns. Live traffic appeared repeatedly on supposedly closed race routes, triggering a rider protest midway through the second stage. With Hautacam set to decide the GC, the organisers neutralised the stage until the foot of the climb, transforming it into a makeshift hill climb. Cavalli won that battle, but the damage was done – the third stage never took place, and public trust collapsed when organisers criticised the riders for expecting too much from a 2.1 race.
Everything changed in 2024. Under new leadership from the TFIP Organising Committee and race director Elisabeth Chevanne, the event was rebuilt. With a new name and a renewed focus on safety and professionalism, the race was staged over three challenging days and 346 kilometres. Twenty teams took part, and this time, the riders made the headlines for the right reasons. Usoa Ostolaza won overall, thanks in part to a strong ride over the Col d’Aubisque – a first for the women’s peloton. Backed by 321 volunteers and broad institutional support, the race proved it could now stand on firmer ground.
That same organisational structure remains in place for 2025, with the goal of making the TFIP a lasting fixture on the UCI calendar and a flagship event in the French women’s racing scene. This year’s route builds on the momentum of 2024. A flat opening stage should give sprinters their best shot before the focus shifts to the mountains. Stage 2 tackles the Col du Soulor – a decisive summit where the GC battle is expected to play out in full. A lumpy final day into Pau could still create late changes, especially if the margins are small.
Previous Winners
2024
Usoa Ostolaza
2023
Marta Cavalli
2022
Krista Doebel-Hickok
2025 Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées Stage Profiles
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Live TV Coverage
Friday 13th June to Sunday 15th June 2025
Live on Discovery Plus/Max/TNT Sports across most of Europe
Stage 1: 12:45-14:15
Stage 2: 12:45-14:15
Stage 3: 13:00-15:00
All times in BST
Twitter: Updates
Startlist: FirstCycling
Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées 2025 Contenders
Laboral Kutxa return to a race they dominated in 2024 with Usoa Ostolaza, who won the GC and a stage last year. She’s a natural fit for the Pyrénées again, with the summit finish on the Col du Solour looking perfect for her climbing style. Backing her is Ane Santesteban, who’s come into June with strong form – 4th at Volta Catalunya and 8th at Durango-Durango. On paper, she’s capable of being a co-leader, especially if something goes wrong for Ostolaza. Between the two of them, Laboral Kutxa are well set for another run at the overall.
At Human Powered Health, the clearest GC candidate is Thalita de Jong, who’s bounced back with strong results this spring. 5th in GC at Itzulia Women and 3rd at Durango-Durango are good signs for what she can do here. If she gets over the Solour in touch, she’ll be hard to drop elsewhere. Mona Mitterwallner is the pure climber in the team and likely their best chance for the summit finish. Second at GP Féminin de Chambéry and looking strong before crashing out of the Vuelta, she’s recently returned to racing on the MTB circuit, even winning in Nové Mesto. If the legs have carried over, she could deliver a standout ride on Stage 2. As for Yurani Blanco, a podium finisher here in 2024, her 2025 form has been nowhere close – she’s DNFed several races and may be in a domestique role unless there’s a major turnaround.
Arkea-B&B Hotels will look to build on the confidence boost from last weekend’s breakthrough. Valentina Cavallar claimed her first pro win at Alpes Grésivaudan last weekend, dropping everyone on the main climb and showing she’s now a rider who can win tough mountain races. Her challenge across this race will be damage limitation on the flatter stages, but if she can stay within range, Stage 2 is made for her. The summit finish on the Col du Soulor may not be brutally long, but it’s enough for her to make a real time difference. Tita Ryo has developed into a dependable support act but has also produced a string of strong results in her own right. She was 11th overall at the Tour of Norway, sprinting to 9th on Stage 2, and also finished 8th at the Pays de la Loire Tour earlier in the season. Stages 1 and 3 offer her realistic chances to go hunting, either from the bunch or in a late move.
Fresh off a breakthrough win at the Tour of Britain Women, Ally Wollaston brings huge confidence into this race for FDJ-Suez. The New Zealander showed consistency, sprinting strength and climbing tenacity across the four British stages and will be a natural favourite for the first day. Whether she holds the jersey deep into the race depends on the severity of the climbing. If the GC battle really ignites on the Solour, riders like Nina Buijman – 7th here in 2022 – or Coralie Demay – 5th that same year – could move into leadership. They’ve not shown top recent form, but both know this parcours. A wildcard is Célia Gery, who’s had an excellent run lately. Her results include 4th at Pointe du Raz, 7th at GP Plumelec-Morbihan, 13th at Durango-Durango, and 8th on the final stage in Britain. She could win from a break or go deep on Stage 2 if the race fragments late.
UAE Team ADQ arrive in solid shape for a stage race like this, with multiple cards to play. Paula Blasi is likely the best option for the flatter days – she’s been quietly stepping up, taking 4th on Stage 1 of Itzulia Women and performing consistently on rolling profiles. Stage 3 in particular looks ideal for her punchy finish. Alongside her, Federica Venturelli will look to make further gains in her return to racing after a long early-season absence. The young Italian has raced selectively in 2025 but is edging closer to race-sharp condition, and her all-rounder skillset suits Stages 1 and 3. If she’s close to full form, she could well contend for the podium on either. Meanwhile, Dominika Wlodarczyk offers the team a proper climbing option. After winning the QoM jersey at the Tour of Britain Women and scoring podium finishes at Trofeo Oro in Euro and Clasica de Almeria earlier this year, the Polish rider has become a genuine threat when the road goes uphill. She should be a factor on the Col du Soulor if she’s given the green light.
Winspace Orange Seal fields two capable climbers who have both shown flashes of strong form in recent weeks. Nadia Gontova impressed by hanging on from the break to take 3rd at the Alpes Grésivaudan Classic, a result that has been building all season. Prior to that, she was 15th overall at Itzulia Women and 12th at the Navarra Elite Classics – both races that featured WorldTour depth. She’s clearly got the legs and confidence to go again here. The bigger question mark is around Karoline Perekitko, who was 10th at Alpes Grésivaudan but suffered from food poisoning during the race. If she’s fully recovered, she’ll be a GC threat and could challenge the very best on the Soulor. If not, expect her to ride more conservatively and test the legs before going all-in.
Cofidis have a proven performer in Julie Bego, who was 7th overall at this race in 2024 and looked strong again last weekend with 6th at Alpes Grésivaudan. She may not yet have cracked the front group of pure climbers, but she’s a reliable performer who climbs well when the pace is high. That mix of endurance and steady improvement will keep her in the GC conversation. Supporting her is Clara Koppenburg, who in years past would have relished the summit finish. But 2025 hasn’t seen her at her previous level, with her best recent result being 46th at Alpes Grésivaudan. Her experience will be valuable for Bego, even if her own ambitions are more limited right now. For the flatter stages, Nadia Quagliotto brings some punch. She’s been consistent in the second tier of sprints this spring, with 6th at GP Plumelec-Morbihan and 7th at Festival Elsy Jacobs à Garnich. She’s unlikely to dominate in a pure bunch sprint, but if it fragments late, she’s well placed to take advantage.
St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93 bring a pair of riders who could each leave their mark in different ways. Ségolène Thomas has been climbing well in 2025, and her 11th at Alpes Grésivaudan and 13th overall at Vuelta a Burgos show that she’s hanging in with deeper fields and continuing to progress. She was 5th here last year and her 3rd at GP Plumelec-Morbihan was one of her standout results this spring. The summit finish on Stage 2 may suit her more than some of the more explosive climbers, and she’s one of the more realistic top-10 GC hopes among the ProTeams. Lucie Fityus offers the team a different profile, with a string of respectable sprint results in strong races. She was 10th at Scheldeprijs and made the top 20 in both Brugge-De Panne and Nokere Koerse. If any of the flatter stages come down to reduced sprints, Fityus has the pace to convert that into a result.
VolkerWessels fields a well-balanced team with a couple of riders capable of racing at the front. Eline Jansen took an important win at La Classique Morbihan this year and followed it with 11th overall at Volta Catalunya, where she made the podium on one stage and was 4th on another. The Dutch rider is a tidy all-rounder and may just climb well enough on the Col du Soulor to limit her losses and keep a top-10 GC finish alive. Alongside her, Margot Vanpachtenbeke has shown real signs of turning the corner in terms of form. She was 4th at Festival Elsy Jacobs à Garnich and recently took 10th in the Tour of Norway, where she sprinted to 3rd on Stage 2. With the right positioning, she could fight for time bonuses on the flatter stages and be in the mix for any late-stage splits.
Photo Credit: PelotonBriefCynisca Cycling offer a wildcard mix with both sprint and breakaway potential. Caoimhe O’Brien has been edging toward a big result and was 10th on the final stage of Volta Catalunya just last weekend. That follows decent efforts at Scheldeprijs (17th) and Vuelta CV (19th), making her a dark horse for a top-10 in the flatter finishes. Heidi Franz, meanwhile, often races aggressively and could thrive on a rolling day if she gets into a breakaway. She has the punch to finish off a small group sprint and will be hunting a result outside the GC battle.
Eneicat-CM bring a GC hopeful in Nicole Steinmetz, who quietly rode to 13th overall at Vuelta a Burgos – an encouraging performance given the quality of the field. Her climbing credentials are clear, and she excels on longer efforts like the Col du Soulor that define Stage 2. The main concern for her is the flatter terrain, where she can struggle to hold position in the bunch and risk losing time through splits or crosswinds. If she survives Stages 1 and 3 without mishap, she’s got the ability to climb into the top-10 overall.
Tour Féminin International des Pyrénées 2025 Outsiders
Lotto Ladies arrive with two outsiders that shouldn’t be overlooked. Audrey de Keersmaeker has been quietly picking off top-15 finishes throughout the season, including 12th at GP Mazda Schelkens and 9th in the Volta NXT Classic. She has a useful sprint and could land a surprise result from a reduced group. Romina Hinojosa, meanwhile, is more of a GC option. She hasn’t matched her 2024 level yet, but her steady showing at the Vuelta España – including two top-25 stage finishes – suggests she’s still capable of holding position in a race like this. The summit finish on Stage 2 might play to her strengths if she can hang close enough through the earlier stages.
From Canyon SRAM zondacrypto Generation, Maddie Le Roux comes in as an outsider for the overall. Her 2025 season hasn’t delivered any standout placings so far, but she’s often ridden just off the front group and, on the right day, has the engine to surprise. If the GC fight opens up, especially with selective splits on Stage 2, Le Roux may be one to benefit.
For AR Monex, Valentina Venerucci has marked herself as one to watch. The 21-year-old from San Marino has transitioned from elite-level athletics – she was previously a 5000-metre runner – into road cycling with impressive speed. She was 5th at Alpes Grésivaudan last weekend, clearly holding her own in a solid climbing field. That follows a 20th place at GP de Chambéry earlier in the season, another lumpy test. This is her first year at UCI level, but the signs are there that she’s already capable of mixing it with more experienced climbers. She’s a proper outsider for the GC and may be even better in 2026 – but it wouldn’t be a shock if she left this race with a top-10 to her name.
Top 3 Prediction
⦿ Usoa Ostolaza
⦿ Thalita de Jong
⦿ Valentina Cavallar
