Paris returns as the setting for the Tour de France’s final stage in 2025, but with a twist. After last year’s finish in Nice, this year’s race heads back to the Champs-Élysées – albeit with a detour that will seriously shake up expectations. The famous sprint showdown has a new hurdle in the shape of the Côte de la Butte Montmartre, a cobbled climb that features three times in the final laps and brings added complexity to what has long been a set-piece for the sprinters.
Starting from Mantes-la-Ville, the peloton heads into the capital for six laps of a finishing circuit. The first three laps resemble the traditional Champs-Élysées route, but the final three laps are extended by a northern loop up to Montmartre and the climb that featured so decisively at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
This year’s Parisian finale is far less predictable. While a reduced sprint is still possible, the final ascent of Montmartre comes just 6km from the finish, and the cobbled gradient of 5.9% will tempt puncheurs and classics specialists to try their luck.
The route – a reimagined tribute
The Côte de Bazemont and Côte du Pavé des Gardes offer early resistance, but the defining section of this stage is the new triple visit to the Côte de la Butte Montmartre. Known to locals as Rue Lepic, this cobbled ramp is narrow and difficult to position for – more than enough to put tired legs under pressure after three weeks of racing. Riders who want to attack will see it as a perfect launchpad. Riders hoping to survive for a sprint will need support and good positioning to hang on.
It’s a nod to Olympic legacy and also a celebration – this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Champs-Élysées becoming the race’s final stage. The new twist doesn’t erase tradition, but instead modernises it, adding intrigue to what had become a relatively formulaic finish.
What’s on offer
Date: Sunday, 27th July
Distance: 132km
Start/Finish: Mantes-la-Ville – Paris
Sprint:
- Champs-Élysées (km 75.9)
Climbs:
- Côte de Bazemont (cat. 4, km 10.0)
- Côte du Pavé des Gardes (cat. 4, km 45.9)
- Côte de la Butte Montmartre (cat. 4, km 92.7)
- Côte de la Butte Montmartre (cat. 4, km 109.5)
- Côte de la Butte Montmartre (cat. 4, km 126.2)
Prediction
The uphill finishes, narrow roads and cobbled surfaces of Montmartre suggest this won’t be a drag race for the pure sprinters. With his blend of climbing ability, tactical sharpness and explosive finish, Wout van Aert is our pick to win in Paris. He may not have the form of 2022, but on this sort of stage, he doesn’t need to be perfect – just smarter and better positioned than those around him. Expect a small group at the front and Van Aert to time his final push with precision.
