One week after the finish of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes, the numbers tell a simple story: this was the biggest edition yet. With Pauline Ferrand-Prévot delivering a historic French victory atop the Col de la Madeleine, a surge in national interest pushed viewership, engagement, and visibility to unprecedented heights. What began in Brittany as a promising race for the home riders ended in the Alps with what L’Équipe dubbed “PFPmania” – and the stats back it up.
Record TV viewership and digital engagement
Across nine stages, according to France.TV, 25.7 million people in France watched at least one minute of this year’s Tour de France Femmes, smashing the previous record by 7.4 million. On average, 2.7 million tuned in per stage on France 2 and France 3, with a 31.6% audience share – the highest yet for the race. Among 15-24 year-olds, that figure rose to 32.6%, showing a clear boost among younger fans.
The final stage on August 3rd drew 4.4 million viewers, with a peak of 7.7 million watching Ferrand-Prévot cross the line in Châtel in yellow – a higher peak than the 2025 French Open women’s final. It also matched the men’s Tour de France Paris finale for audience share, with 41.2% of the national TV audience tuning in.
Digital interest soared in parallel. 3.8 million videos were watched on france.tv and franceinfo platforms – four times more than in 2024. Over 34 million videos were viewed on social media, marking a sixfold increase year-on-year. These figures confirm what could already be sensed roadside – women’s cycling is reaching a new level of public attention in France.
Photo Credit: GettyA French champion leads the wave
The emotional core of the 2025 edition was undoubtedly Ferrand-Prévot’s overall win – the first for a Frenchwoman at the Tour de France Femmes and the first French Tour winner of any kind since Bernard Hinault in 1985.
Her win not only delivered a long-awaited home triumph but also energised audiences and elevated her to a new level of national stardom. “We would never have hoped for this,” admitted Stephen Delcourt, team boss at FDJ-Suez. “It’s beyond what we imagined back in 2007 when we started pushing for more visibility.”
Fan club president Christophe Duquesne described the post-Tour demand for contact as overwhelming. “We’re getting between 80 and 100 emails a day since the finish. People absolutely want to meet her. It’s crazy.”
Ferrand-Prévot’s influence goes beyond just results. Tour organiser Marion Rousse said the 33-year-old has become a role model for the next generation. “She’s doing so much for women’s cycling and women’s sport in general. She’s gone down in history even more today.”
Photo Credit: A.S.O./Pauline BalletA landmark moment for French cycling
The success of Ferrand-Prévot wasn’t isolated. Three other French riders finished in the top 10 – Juliette Labous (7th), Cédrine Kerbaol (8th), and Evita Muzic (10th) – a repeat of last year’s depth in GC. FDJ-Suez also won the team classification.
There were breakout performances too, most notably Maëva Squiban, who won back-to-back mountain stages from the breakaway for UAE Team ADQ. Julie Bego, still only 20, led the youth classification for six days. The final weekend crowds in the Alps underlined the public’s enthusiasm, with roadside support for French riders reaching fever pitch.
Third-placed Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney captured the mood succinctly: “All along the route, everyone was shouting Pauline’s name. It must have been super special for her, for the French fans, and perhaps also for future French champions.”
Photo Credit: A.S.O./Thomas MaheuxInternational audience growth too
Belgian interest rose notably. Average viewership on VRT increased by 60,000 to 314,000 per stage. The queen stage to the Col de la Madeleine drew 541,000 Belgian viewers, up from 394,000 in 2024.
Dutch figures are still incomplete, but NOS reported around 500,000 viewers per stage through stage 5, with higher peaks expected for the final weekend. Last year’s queen stage drew nearly a million viewers, and early signs suggest similar totals this year. The Dutch evening show De Avondetappe also saw strong nightly figures of 550,000 to 700,000, showing continued mainstream interest.
Photo Credit: A.S.O./Pauline BalletWhat’s next for the Tour de France Femmes?
The fourth edition of the race may prove a turning point. The figures suggest a growing, committed audience for women’s cycling – particularly in France – but also among younger viewers and digital consumers.
Whether ASO responds by expanding the race to ten stages or pushing for more international participation remains to be seen, but the argument is now stronger than ever. A home winner has provided the perfect catalyst, and the public has responded in kind.
One week on, the verdict is clear. The 2025 Tour de France Femmes was a resounding success – in sporting, cultural, and media terms. What follows next could shape the sport for years to come.
