Stage 7 of the Tour de France Femmes 2025 brings the race into Alpine territory for the first time, and at 159.7km, it’s the longest stage of the race. The run from Bourg-en-Bresse to Chambéry features a largely flat opening before three climbs appear in the final 50km, ending with the Col du Granier and a fast descent into the city. It’s a day that could reward bold moves from puncheurs and descending specialists.
Will Kerbaol use the descent to launch her first Tour stage win of 2025?
The opening 100km are largely flat and uneventful, with only the intermediate sprint in Groslée-Saint-Benoît offering something to fight for early on. Breakaways will likely be allowed some room, but the GC teams will be watching closely, with the final climbs presenting a real opportunity for shake-ups.
The first test comes at the Côte de Saint-Franc (3.8km at 6.9%), a sharp effort that could see teams begin to apply pressure. It’s followed by the Côte de Berland (1.2km at 7.2%) before the key climb of the day – the Col du Granier (8.9km at 5.4%). It’s not the hardest Alpine ascent, but coming late in the stage and followed immediately by a fast, technical descent, it’s perfectly positioned for a late attack.
The finish in Chambéry is wide and flat, but if small gaps open on the descent, they may be hard to close in time. Riders with good descending legs and solo strength will see this as an ideal chance.
This could be one for French champion Cédrine Kerbaol, who has been quietly strong all race and is well suited to this kind of terrain. If she crests the Granier with a small group or alone, she could be hard to catch. Other contenders could include Soraya Paladin, Neve Bradbury or Evita Muzic – all riders who can climb and descend well.
There’s less likely to be major GC movement, but if the favourites start attacking on the Granier, the overall standings could shuffle again before the final mountain test.
What’s on offer
Date: Friday, 1st August
Distance: 159.7km
Start/Finish: Bourg-en-Bresse – Chambéry
Climbs:
Côte de Saint-Franc (3.8km at 6.9%) – km 111.8
Côte de Berland (1.2km at 7.2%) – km 124.5
Col du Granier (8.9km at 5.4%) – km 142.4
Sprints:
Groslée-Saint-Benoît – km 78
Prediction
Cédrine Kerbaol is the pick for this one. Her descending skills and strength on longer efforts give her a great shot at using the Col du Granier to launch clear. She hasn’t taken a WorldTour win since her ITT national title, but this could be the breakthrough ride she’s been building towards all week.
