Tour de France 2025: 5 most recognized and difficult stages of the race
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar climbs towards Hautacom to win the twelfth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 180.6 kilometers (112.2 miles) with start in Auch and finish in Hautacam, France, Thursday, July 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
The Tour de France began with the Grand Départ in Lille, a northern French city near the Belgian border. It marked the official start of the race with a festive celebration.
Stage 2: This stage was the longest trek of this year's race with about 4 kilometers of climbing. It favors strong climbers and aggressive breakaway riders.
The stretch from Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-Sur-Mer is a marathon, not a sprint. It was the longest stretch of the race at 209.1 kilometers, or 129.93 miles.
Stage 12: This stage featured several challenging climbs.
Auch to Hautacam was the first mountain stage of the race, with 3,850 meters in elevation over the course, or 12,631 feet. The stage introduced the Pyrenees.
Stage 16: This stage is notable for its race to the top of the famed barren mountain known as the 'Beast of Provence.'
The 16th stage may seem straightforward at the start, but riders had to ascend to their highest point in elevation of the race. Mont Ventoux returned to the route after four years.
Stage 21: The final stage features a cobbled climb before riders enter Paris to complete 3 laps of the iconic landmark.
The final stage of the Tour de France concludes at the iconic Champs-Elysees in Paris. But before riders cross the finish line, they'll need to face the cobbled streets of Côte de la Butte Montmartre.
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, rides in the pack during the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
The pack rides during the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 172.2 kilometers (107 miles) with start in Amiens and finish in Rouen, France, Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
The pack rides past a field of sunflowers during the eleventh stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 156.8 kilometers (97.4 miles) with start and finish in Toulouse, France, Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, and Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard sprint towards the finish line of the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5 kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Montpellier and finish on the Mont Ventoux, France, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
The pack rides during the second stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 209.1 kilometers (129.9 miles) with start in Lauwin-Planque and finish in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Fans watch the riders during the first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 184.9 kilometers (114.9 miles) with start and finish in Lille, France, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Spectators take photos of the riders during the eleventh stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 156.8 kilometers (97.4 miles) with start and finish in Toulouse, France, Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard crosses the finish line of the thirteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race, an individual time-trial over 10.5 kilometers (6.5 miles) in the Pyrenees mountains with start in Loudenvielle and finish in Peyragudes, France, Friday, July 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, right, celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the fourth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 172.2 kilometers (107 miles) with start in Amiens and finish in Rouen, France, Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Italy's Vincenzo Albanese rides past a field of sunflowers during the eleventh stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 156.8 kilometers (97.4 miles) with start and finish in Toulouse, France, Wednesday, July 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Stage winner France's Valentin Paret Peintre leads in the breakaway with Ireland's Ben Healy, in pink, and Colombia's Santiago Buitrago, in white, in the sixteenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 171.5 kilometers (106.6 miles) with start in Montpellier and finish on the Mont Ventoux, France, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC Sports
22 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Royals put Kris Bubic, Jac Caglianone on IL; newly acquired Randal Grichuk into starting lineup
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals placed All-Star left-hander Kris Bubic on the 15-day injured list with a rotator cuff strain and outfielder Jac Caglianone on the 10-day IL with a strained left hamstring amid a series of moves before their series finale against Cleveland on Sunday. The Royals also welcomed outfielder Randal Grichuk, who was acquired on Saturday night in a deal that shipped reliever Andrew Hoffmann to Arizona, and recalled right-handed reliever Jonathan Bowlan from Triple-A Omaha to help the bullpen. Bubic walked the first four batters he faced and only managed to last 2 2/3 innings against the Guardians on Saturday, when he started the second game of a split doubleheader. He needed 42 pitches to get through the first inning, and he wound up allowing four runs and three hits in his shortest start since Sept. 18, 2022, at Boston. 'He's getting some further testing and then we'll talk to the doc here and see what we got,' Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. Bubic said he's experienced some shoulder soreness for much of the season, but he's been able to pitch through it at a break-through level. Even with the rocky start Saturday, he has a 2.55 ERA — the fifth-best mark in the American League. 'I mean, you see how he's performed,' Quatraro said. 'Most pitchers when they go out there, they feel something almost every time. The severity of it and his ability to continue to deal with it has been manageable, by his own admission. ... And it's gotten to the point where, you know, he doesn't, and we don't feel like it's best for him to keep fighting through it.' The Royals rotation has suddenly thinned considerably. Left-hander Cole Ragans remains on the IL with a strained rotator cuff and is not expected back until late August, and right-hander Michael Lorenzen is progressing from his strained left oblique but may need to make a rehab start before he returns to the Royals sometime in August. The Royals already have had to plug one spot with 45-year-old Rich Hill, who pitched well in his debut for them this past week. Caglianone, the Royals' 22-year-old power-hitter, felt tightness in his hamstring while running down a double into the gap in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader. Then he felt the twinge again while running to first on a groundout later the inning. The timing of the injury could have been worse: The Royals had been working on a deal to land Grichuk, who nearly signed with them in the offseason but will now help them primarily against left-handed hitting for the rest of the season. 'You've seen our outfield had gotten very heavily left-handed. Something we thought we needed to add was a right-handed bat,' said Quatraro, whose team began the day 51-54 and 4 1/2 games back in the AL wild-card race. Grichuk was 0 for 2 on Saturday night in Pittsburgh, flying out in the second inning and the fourth, when he was told by the Diamondbacks that he had been traded. He hugged several teammates in the dugout and then headed out, catching a flight first thing Sunday so that he could be in Kansas City in time for the series finale against the Guardians. He was put in the starting lineup right away, batting sixth and playing right field. 'When they called they said, 'If you're willing to be here to play, you know, we want you in the starting lineup,'' Grichuk said, 'and yeah, I want to play. That's kind of my M.O. And so I said, 'Let's do it. We'll make it happen, even if it's crazy travel.'' The one hang-up was Grichuk's number: He's always worn 15 and that number was taken by backup catcher Luke Maile. But it turns out the two knew each other from their days together in Toronto, so a quick text message smoothed things out. Maile took No. 17 and gave his old buddy No. 15 — 'We'll work something out,' Grichuk said of potential compensation. 'It's pretty cool that he was able to give it to me,' Grichuk said.
Fox Sports
23 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Twins All-Star Byron Buxton is day-to-day with rib cartilage irritation
Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins announced on Sunday that All-Star center fielder Byron Buxton is day-to-day with cartilage irritation in his rib cage. Buxton was pulled from Saturday's game against Washington after he experienced discomfort in his side while running. An MRI performed on Sunday confirmed the irritated cartilage. 'It's a good outcome,' Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. 'We'll see how he is tomorrow and so on, but to be day-to-day with what he left the game with, it's a good thing.' The 31-year-old Buxton is hitting .282 with 23 home runs and an OPS of .905. ___ AP MLB: recommended Item 1 of 3 in this topic
NBC News
24 minutes ago
- NBC News
Tadej Pogačar 'speechless' after winning fourth Tour de France
Tadej Pogačar blasted his way to a fourth Tour de France victory on Sunday, besting rival Jonas Vingegaard by 4:24 across the famed Champs-Élysées finish line. Billed as a clash between two titans, this year's race was filled with ghosts of Pogačar's past, including the Hautacam, Mont Ventoux and the Col de la Loze climbs where he had lost significant time in previous Tours to Vingegaard. This year, Pogačar, of UAE Team Emirates XRG, conquered them all. 'Just speechless to win the Tour de France, this one feels especially amazing,' he said. 'Just super proud that I can wear this yellow jersey.' Vingegaard, of Denmark, suffered significant time losses early in the race beginning with his botched performance during the Stage 5 time trial. He crossed the finish 1:20 behind Pogačar, who continued to build a steady time gap that eventually became too large for Vingegaard to overcome. Despite launching attack after attack and maintaining an upbeat attitude during interviews, Vingegaard, of Visma–Lease a Bike, proved to be a mere mortal compared to Pogačar's superhuman prowess. 'Battling against Jonas was a tough experience, but I must say to him respect and big, big congratulations to him for his fight and incredible race,' Pogačar said. As of Sunday, two-time Tour winner Vingegaard has finished runner up to Pogačar three times. He will next take on the Vuelta a España, Spain's grand tour, in August. His teammate, Belgian rider Wout van Aert, won Sunday's rainy stage that featured three climbs around Montmartre instead of the traditional ceremonial ride into Paris. Van Aert stunned onlookers in the last kilometer around the hill, known for its artistic history and the Sacré-Cœur basilica, as he dropped Pogačar in a final attack on the steepest section. 'We came to this tour with ambition to also win the yellow jersey but the strongest rider in the race and biggest rider on the road won,' said van Aert. 'I'm proud of how we raced as a team, how we kept trying every day.' German climber Florian Lipowitz, of Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe, finished third in the general classification, coming in 11:09 behind Pogačar, and taking home the white jersey for best young rider. His podium finish is all the more impressive considering this was his Tour debut. He was meant to be riding in a supportive role for teammate and Tour veteran Primož Roglič from Slovenia. But in the end, Lipowitz, who is 11 years younger than 35-year-old Roglič emerged as the stronger rider. And Roglič, who has crashed out of several grand tours in recent years, appeared happy to just finish the race. Indeed, this year's Tour was filled with unforgettable performances by the next generation of emerging talent. Few people could have predicted the rise of Irish climber Ben Healy, who wore the yellow jersey for two days early in the race after launching strong attacks based purely on instinct. His team, EF Education-EasyPost, came into the race without its team leader, Richard Carapaz, but Healy quickly stepped into the role. He took the Stage 6 win and was awarded with the Tour's 'Super Combative' prize for what his team described as 'exploits' on the road. 'It is one thing to achieve what you set out to achieve; it is another to do it with a smile,' team sports director Charly Wegelius said in a statement. Italian sprinter Jonathan Milan, of Lidl–Trek, dominated in the green jersey for much of his Tour debut. The contest for points classification appeared to open in Stage 3 when the reigning champion, Jasper Philipsen, of Alpecin–Deceuninck, was thrown over his handlebars during an intermediate sprint. The Belgian fastman was forced to abandon with a fractured collarbone and at least one broken rib. Milan and teammate Quinn Simmons, from Durango, Colorado, soon began a relentless campaign to best the remaining sprinters and succeeded. Simmons, donning his iconic handlebar mustache and American flag road champion's jersey, was seen at the front of the peloton nearly every day for three weeks. He proved to be the perfect lead out man for Milan, who wouldn't let rain or crashes slow him down. In the end, Milan edged out Pogačar in the final points classification and Simmons proposed to his girlfriend — she said yes! — after crossing the finish line.
