One of cyclingโs most iconic climbs, Mont Ventoux, might make a return to the Tour de France in 2025 after a four-year hiatus. Regional newspaper La Marseillaise reports that a summit finish on the โGiant of Provenceโ is “expected” for the first time since 2016.
The last time the Ventoux featured in the Tour was in 2021. That stage saw a dramatic double lap culminating in Wout van Aert’s solo victory in Malaucรจne. It was also notable for the intense rivalry between Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogaฤar. Vingegaard briefly dropped Pogaฤar near the summit, a move that marked the beginning of Visma-Lease a Bike’s strategic planning to counter UAE Team Emirates in the 2022 and 2023 Tours.
Historical Context
The 2016 edition saw the Tour de France last achieve a summit finish on Mont Ventoux. However, severe winds forced organisers to end the stage early at the Chalet-Reynard restaurant, instead of the summit. Thomas de Gendt claimed victory, but the day is best remembered for Chris Froomeโs desperate run up the mountain after a collision with an in-race TV motorbike.
Mont Ventoux has been the main feature of the now-suspended CIC-Mont Ventoux Denivรฉlรฉ one-day race in 2022 and 2023. However, it has not been part of the Tour since 2021. Should it appear in the 2025 route, it is rumoured to happen in the second week of the race.
Photo Credit: GettyPossible Route for 2025
The 2025 Tour de France will start on 5th July in Lille with a stage for sprinters, followed by a hillier route to Boulogne-sur-Mer on 6th July. Stage 3, on 7th July, is expected to end in Dunkirk with another sprint. The race will then move west from Amiens on 8th July, likely passing through Normandy and Brittany. This part of the route is seen as a tribute to Bernard Hinault, Brittany’s most famous racer, on the 40th anniversary of his final Tour victory in 1985.
The first week may extend to 14th July, ending on Mont Dore near Clermont-Ferrand on stage 10. After a rest day in Toulouse, the Tour could feature stages in the Pyrenees, possibly including a mountain time trial and the anticipated Mont Ventoux ascent.
The final week is expected to take place in the Alps, but specific details remain sparse. Speculations suggest fewer sprint stages compared to 2023, possibly due to a tight cycling calendar delaying organisers’ ability to finalise plans.
Additional Speculations
According to Velowire, the race could continue west through Normandy and Brittany. There are also rumours on twitter of a return to La Plagne in the Alps. This stage, last visited in 1995, was where Miguel Indurain secured his fifth Tour win.
At present, only the opening three days in Nord-Pas-de-Calais, a stage 4 start in Amiens, and a final run-in to Paris on 29th July have been confirmed for the 2025 Tour de France.
