The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will challenge riders to their limits in 2025 with a route covering 1,165km over nine stages. This year’s race stretches from Brittany to Savoy, ending with high-altitude climbs in the Alps.
After starting in Brittany, riders will face tough climbs in the Massif Central. Known for its rugged terrain and steep gradients, this region will likely create early gaps between general classification (GC) contenders. These mid-race climbs will test climbers early on, giving them a chance to gain time before the harder Alpine stages.
The most challenging part of the 2025 route will be the debut of the Col de la Madeleine, a punishing 17km climb with an average gradient of nearly 8%. This climb is expected to shake up the GC rankings in the final stages of the race. Reigning champion Kasia Niewiadoma and 2023 winner Demi Vollering, both known for their climbing ability, will look to use the Madeleine to their advantage. French climbers like Juliette Labous and Evita Muzic will also be motivated to perform well on home soil.
Unlike in past editions, the 2025 route won’t include a time trial. This change puts extra focus on climbing and endurance, giving pure climbers an edge as they tackle both the Massif Central and the Alps. With nine stages, tough mid-race climbs, and the gruelling Col de la Madeleine, the 2025 Tour de France Femmes is expected to be one of the most challenging editions yet, showcasing the depth of the women’s peloton across a fully French route.
Col de la Joux Plane: The decisive climb on stage 9
On the final day, 3rd August, the women’s peloton will tackle the daunting Col de Joux Plane, a 12km climb known for its unrelenting 8.5% average gradient and sections exceeding 12%. Racing towards Châtel near the Swiss border, riders will need to control their energy, particularly on this penultimate climb which could heavily impact the general classification.
Located 66km into the 124km route, this climb is expected to test the GC contenders who may look to attack, remembering the dramatic 2024 finale where mid-stage aggression on the Col du Glandon almost reshaped the podium. Châtel, reachable via the picturesque and steep Route de la Bechigne, will serve as the ultimate finish line for the overall champion of this year’s Tour de France Femmes.
The Queen stage: Col de la Madeleine showdown on stage 8
Stage 8, scheduled for 2nd August, is another major day for GC battles, with riders climbing to the 2,000m high summit of the Col de la Madeleine. This 18.6km ascent at 8.1% promises a challenging finale as the peloton races toward Saint-Francois-Longchamp. This demanding Queen stage follows a course through the Massif des Bauges, where the riders will encounter numerous climbs, starting with the 13km Col de Plainpalais at 6% – a warm-up for the gruelling final ascent.
The Col de la Madeleine is no stranger to Tour de France history, having featured 25 times in the men’s Tour since its debut in 1969. The women’s peloton will climb the steeper approach from the Maurienne Valley, giving a nod to the Tour’s storied past and challenging the riders in similar conditions as the men’s route in previous editions. Fans and riders alike are excited to see the Madeleine back on the women’s route in a stage where anything can happen.
A taste of the Brittany punch on stage 1
The race opens in Plumelec with a triple climb of the Côte de Cadoudal on stage 1, a punchy 1.7km ascent at 6.2% that will challenge riders right out of the gate. This same circuit hosted the European Championships in 2016, with Anna van der Breggen taking victory over Kasia Niewiadoma and Elisa Longo Borghini. The Côte de Cadoudal is expected to favour punchy riders and could see an early shake-up among GC hopefuls.
With three laps up this climb in the final stretch, fans can expect the first yellow jersey to be decided in this exhilarating opener, marking the start of a long journey to Châtel.
Col du Granier opens the Alpine chapter on stage 7
By stage 7, the Tour leaves behind the flatter lands, and the peloton arrives at the Alps with the Col du Granier in the Chartreuse Valley, standing as the first true Alpine test. This 9km climb at 5.5%, tackled after a largely flat first half of the stage from Bourg-en-Bresse, presents the riders with a chance to gauge their climbing legs before the intensity ramps up in the final two stages.
The Col du Granier’s technical descent towards Chambéry will demand attention, and any lapse could impact the GC standings as they approach the brutal Queen stage the following day. This region is steeped in cycling history, hosting the World Road Race Championships where Jeannie Longo famously won her fourth rainbow jersey in 1989, breaking away on a nearby climb and winning solo by over 4 minutes.
The 2025 Tour de France Femmes route will include some of France’s most iconic and challenging climbs, with routes through the Col de la Madeleine, Col du Granier, and the fierce Col de Joux Plane. Beginning in Brittany’s punchy hills and building towards two gruelling Alpine stages, this year’s edition presents one of the toughest climbing challenges in women’s cycling. With such a demanding course, the race is expected to deliver intense battles for the yellow jersey and thrilling moments for fans along the way.
