Ahead of the 2025 Tour de France, several riders and fans have expressed surprise at how the first week may unfold, with expectations shifting from a flat and straightforward start to one that could feature selective racing and early GC movement.
The Grand Départ in Lille features a flat opening stage, traditionally suited to sprinters, but subsequent stages contain far more climbing than initially assumed. Stages 2, 4, 6 and 7 include punchy uphill finishes and undulating profiles more in line with the Ardennes or Flemish classics than pure sprint stages. These include finishes in Boulogne-sur-Mer, Rouen and Vire Normandie, with stage 7 ending atop the Mûr-de-Bretagne – a climb that has previously shaped the early GC picture in the Tour.
The parcours is similar in places to the 2021 edition, which opened in Brittany with stages that produced aggressive racing. That year, Julian Alaphilippe won the opening stage on the Côte de la Fosse aux Loups after attacking solo in the final kilometre, taking the yellow jersey in the process. Mathieu van der Poel also won on the Mûr-de-Bretagne during that edition, securing the maillot jaune in his Tour debut. Both riders return for the 2025 race and are expected to feature prominently in the early stages.
Alongside van der Poel and Alaphilippe, Wout van Aert will also be present and likely to find opportunities during the first week. The varied terrain may also suit riders targeting breakaways or stage wins from reduced groups.
Photo Credit: GettyGC contenders such as Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard are also expected to stay alert during these stages. Pogačar, in particular, has shown in previous seasons his ability to target time bonuses and gain early advantages, and the Tour’s opening week offers several opportunities for this kind of aggressive approach.
Fred Wright, who recently finished the Critérium du Dauphiné with two top-10 finishes, highlighted the underestimated difficulty of the first ten days. “I looked at the roadbook and thought there were a lot of flat, sprint-type stages in the first ten days, but it really isn’t like that,” he said.
Photo Credit: GettyWright suggested that the terrain may not be hard enough to eliminate the puncheurs and classics riders, leading to unpredictable and aggressive racing across multiple stages. “From what I can see in the first ten days, I think it’s going to make for some f*****g amazing racing. I think it’s going to be more of a spectacle than everyone thinks with Tadej not just walking all over everyone.”
The early stages are expected to be contested by a wide range of riders, with sprinters, puncheurs and GC leaders all likely to feature, depending on the specific demands of each day’s course. The inclusion of uphill finishes and narrow roads in the opening week has raised expectations of early action and a more selective race than initially anticipated.
Main photo credit: Getty
