The 2025 Tour de France Femmes stretches to nine days for the first time, and while the opening stages are far from easy, it’s the closing trio that are expected to shape the general classification. The early punchy terrain and rolling roads might shuffle the deck, but the Tour’s final third is where gaps will be won, lost, and potentially reversed. From fast descents to alpine summit finishes, the yellow jersey won’t be safe until the final climb in Châtel.
Here’s a closer look at the three key stages most likely to determine the winner of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes.
What goes up must come down – stage 7, Friday 1st August
159.7km | 1,880m elevation gain
Stage 7 might not look decisive on paper – it’s officially listed as a hilly day – but the final 50km tell a different story. Two category 2 climbs sit in close succession, with the Col du Granier (8.9km at 5.4%) peaking just 17.3km from the finish. But what really sets this stage apart is what comes next – a technical and rapid descent of almost 870 vertical metres into Chambéry.
Marion Rousse, race director, has already warned it’s the most dramatic finishing descent the Tour de France Femmes has seen since its 2022 revival. Last year, Cédrine Kerbaol highlighted the potential of such finales when she launched on a descent and built a 40-second gap in under 15km. A flat run to the line limited her gain to 21 seconds, but stage 7 in 2025 offers no such levelling out.
Any rider who can crest the Granier with a small gap – and descend with confidence – could gain significant time. But for those wary on technical descents, this stage could be treacherous. The outcome may hinge on bike-handling skills as much as climbing legs.
Crowning the queen – stage 8, Saturday 2nd August
111.9km | 3,490m elevation gain
Stage 8 is the Queen stage, and by some margin. It features the most climbing in the race and finishes atop the legendary Col de la Madeleine at 2,000m, the highest point of the 2025 edition. The men’s peloton knows this climb well – it’s been a regular feature since 1969 – but this will be the first time the women finish at its summit.
From the start in Chambéry, the road rises steadily into the Bauges massif. The peloton tackles the Col de Plainpalais (13.2km at 6.3%), then heads over the Col du Frêne and onto the Côte de Saint-Georges-d’Hurtières (4.8km at 5.9%), which tops out 38km from the line. But the decisive test is the final climb – the southern side of the Madeleine, 18.6km at 8.1%, winding through tight bends, varied gradients and rougher alpine road surfaces.
This is a true climbing stage, and the GC contenders must be ready to attack or survive. Past editions have been defined by the Queen stage – La Planche des Belles Filles in 2022, the Tourmalet in 2023, and Alpe d’Huez in 2024. Each year, the winner of that day has either taken yellow or decisively reshaped the race. Expect the same here. If a rider falters, the time losses could be enormous.
Save the celebrations – stage 9, Sunday 3rd August
124.1km | 2,880m elevation gain
There’s no room for parades at the Tour de France Femmes. The final stage from Praz-sur-Arly to Châtel packs in four major climbs, including the fearsome Col de Joux Plane, and ends with an uphill drag to the finish. It’s a closing stage designed to unsettle even the most confident GC leader.
The Côte d’Arâches-la-Frasse (6.2km at 7.1%) arrives early, softening up the field before the Col de Joux Plane (11.6km at 8.5%) kicks in around the halfway mark. It’s an iconic climb that’s regularly caused chaos in the men’s race, and could do the same here, despite being over 50km from the finish.
If no big move sticks there, the Col du Corbier (5.9km at 8.5%) with 30km to go offers another chance to shake things up. But the final stretch – the twisting, irregular Route de la Bechigne into Châtel – could be just as decisive. It’s described as “leg-breaking” by Rousse, and on tired legs, even the slightest miscalculation could turn seconds into minutes.
A late-stage attack here isn’t just possible – it may be necessary for anyone with yellow ambitions. With the GC still in flux after the Queen stage, and the parcours offering opportunity until the very last kilometre, stage 9 could end with one final reshuffling of the overall podium.
Summary
While the punchy opening weekend and early tests may set the tone, these three stages are where the yellow jersey battle will truly ignite. The descent to Chambéry, the summit finish on the Madeleine, and the Alpine finale to Châtel will each offer their own tests of courage, endurance and tactical precision. The 2025 Tour de France Femmes will not be won easily – and it certainly won’t be won early.
