2025 Tour de France adds Montmartre suspense to final stage
– The Tour de France will make three circuits of the historic Paris district of Montmartre on its last stage in 2025 in what organisers said on May 21 would add a competitive finale to the world's greatest bike race.
The new format of the final stage on July 27 introduces an outside possibility that the leading contender could crash out, adding suspense to what had traditionally become a procession into the French capital.
The riders will for the first time on a Tour de France race a total of 16.8km in Montmartre before the peloton heads to the Champs-Elysees, where it will complete three circuits, instead of the previous eight.
The change prolongs the suspense because a breakaway on the narrow, cobbled streets of Montmartre could tempt a few adventurous riders to join and force the big guns to follow them.
Around half a million spectators lined the route when the road races at the 2024 Paris Olympics passed through Montmartre, sparking a clamour for the Tour to include the popular tourist spot in its final stage.
The circuit will climb Rue Lepic in Montmartre, where much of the action in the hit 2001 movie Amelie takes place, before the steep ascent to the domed Sacre Coeur Basilica.
'It was kind of now or never. The goal wasn't to change the finish location, especially for the 50th anniversary of the first finish on the Champs-Elysees, but to make the final stage more competitive and more popular,' Paris' assistant mayor Pierre Rabadan told AFP.
The Paris police originally told Tour organisers ASO they were opposed to allowing the race to pass through Montmartre because of security reasons.
'The area is heavily populated and there are many cafe terraces and shops making it a tricky security dimension, involving a more substantial security system,' Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told AFP ahead of the announcement, explaining his original reluctance.
The situation was resolved only after the intervention of President Emmanuel Macron, who was the 'driving force' behind the decision, the French president's office told AFP.
For the Tour de France, this change to the final stage represents a revolution in sporting terms.
The designer of the route, former cyclist Thierry Gouvenou, said on May 21 the new format adds real tension and competitive edge.
'We put all this together for the sporting interest. It's not just a parade or a tourist visit to Montmartre,' Gouvenou said.
'We're almost certain the riders will compete. But I don't really believe it will turn the Tour around. We shouldn't expect huge gaps. But it will energise the stage,' he added.
The 2025 edition of the Tour de France marks the 50th anniversary of its first finale on the Champs-Elysees, traditionally considered Paris' most chic shopping road, in 1975.
The 112th edition of the race itself begins on July 5 in the northern French city of Lille after three consecutive money-spinning foreign Grand Departs in Copenhagen (Denmark), Bilbao (Spain) and Florence (Italy).
The gruelling race covers 3,320km over the three weeks and will be contested by 184 riders in 2025. AFP
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
10 hours ago
- CNA
Alpine skiing-Vonn brings in Svindal as coach for Olympic comeback
American Lindsey Vonn has brought Norwegian former Olympic champion Aksel Lund Svindal into her coaching team, she said on Wednesday. The 40-year-old Vonn, who has 82 World Cup wins to her name and counts one gold among her three Olympic medals, retired from the sport in 2019 before announcing in November she was planning a comeback in a bid to ski at next year's Milano-Cortina Games. She earned a second-place finish in the super-G at the World Cup Finals in March. "Excited to finally announce that Olympic Champion Aksel Lund Svindal will be joining my team as a coach and equipment strategist for the upcoming season," Vonn said in a post on Instagram. Svindal won gold in the super-G at the 2010 Vancouver Games and in the downhill at Pyeongchang in 2018. He also claimed five world championship titles before retiring in 2019.
Straits Times
21 hours ago
- Straits Times
Rugby Australia chief certain British and Lions will return in 2037
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Australia celebrates their 22-12 win over the British & Irish Lions during the third Test at Stadium Australia in Sydney on Aug 2. – Rugby Australia (RA) chief executive Phil Waugh was disappointed the Wallabies lost the Test series against the British and Irish Lions, but believes the tour was a huge success and talk that the tourists might not return in 12 years' time was well wide of the mark. Some media pundits had suggested after the Lions comfortably won the first Test in Brisbane that Australian rugby was so weak they no longer deserved their place on the touring rotation alongside New Zealand and South Africa. Waugh thought the competitiveness of the Wallabies in the second Test in Melbourne, where they came within seconds of victory, and the third in Sydney, where they won 22-12, had firmly quashed any speculation about the Lions not returning. 'Australia is a really important home for the Lions tour every 12 years,' he told reporters at the conclusion of the series. 'On the field, I think the accumulative points, they got one point better than us and one try better than us, and it was a really fierce Test battle. 'So I think any of that speculation, it was shut down by a number of people, including their CEO (Ben Calveley), who spoke at various events committing to return to Australia.' Waugh thought the second Test, which attracted a crowd of 90,307 to the Melbourne Cricket Ground, was one of the best internationals he had seen in a while and he had been impressed with the Wallabies throughout the series. 'I think it's been an overwhelmingly successful tour, albeit it would have been nice to win the... trophy, but that wasn't to happen,' he added. 'I think that the progress that's continued through the group, and I think the cultural growth of the group, has been really, really pleasing.' Around 450,000 fans attended the nine matches, and Waugh said the tour had exceeded expectations on financial returns for both the hosts and the Lions. Exactly what the returns were was still being calculated, he said, but Australia's proceeds would go to reducing the A$80 million (S$66.6 million) credit facility the RA took out in 2023, which cost more than A$9 million to service in 2024. 'It certainly exceeded expectations,' Waugh said. 'I've always said that it's a really good opportunity for us to reset the balance sheet. 'We've got the debt facility, and ideally we pay that down as quickly as possible, given the cost to carry it... then we'll lean into the next broadcast cycle to get to a financially sustainable model.' The Wallabies got great returns in the series from Will Skelton, the wrecking ball of a lock who was recalled from his French club La Rochelle to take on the Lions. Tight-head prop Taniela Tupou, who played a key role in the third Test victory, will also be moving to a French club in 2025, which would once have made him ineligible to play for the Wallabies. That blanket ban was eased ahead of the 2015 World Cup under the 'Giteau Law', which allowed the Wallabies coach to select three overseas-based players under certain criteria. RA's high performance director Peter Horne confirmed that all restrictions on Test selection had been scrapped when Joe Schmidt took over as Wallabies coach in 2024. 'Joe's got no impediment to select whoever he wants,' he said. 'That's always been the case. The Giteau Law's kind of redundant. 'But we've also made a choice that we select domestically if the players are of equal calibre, it's important that we invest in our premier competition in Australia.' However, the Wallabies will not be able to count on Dave Porecki, who has retired from professional rugby only weeks after reviving his Test career. The New South Wales Waratah hooker, 32, battled injuries in recent seasons, but made his first Australia appearance under Schmidt against Fiji in July after nearly two years out of the Wallabies. After suffering a concussion against Fiji and missing the first Lions Test in Brisbane, Porecki was recalled for the second clash in Melbourne before being sidelined for the final Test in Sydney due to a cut heel at training. Capped 21 times for the Wallabies, Porecki said it was the right time to start a new chapter in his life. REUTERS
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Curling champion Constantini set to throw rocks at 'special' hometown Winter Games
In exactly six months' time the spotlight will shine on the tiny Alpine town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, which along with the city of Milan will be staging the Winter Olympics. The Games also took place in the resort in 1956 but for Cortina native and Olympic champion curler Stefania Constantini, the 2026 edition promises to be extra special. "I think it will be a really big event in a really little mountain village," Constantini told Reuters by video call. "Cortina is a little village, yes, but it's huge for me. I think Cortina is special, it is a really beautiful place, which also survives thanks to the tourists. "When Cortina will host the Olympics, a lot of people will come and see us compete. People will have the chance to see a really good level of sport, but also to enjoy a great place. It will be a really special moment." Constantini will be a defending champion at next year's Games after teaming up with Amos Mosaner to secure Italy's first curling medal in the mixed doubles three and half years ago in Beijing. The 26-year-old, among the athletes who are part of the Italian police force, said her success at the 2022 Games had transformed both the sport's profile in the country, and her own life. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 25-minute delay on East-West Line between Boon Lay and Buona Vista due to track point fault Singapore Finding hidden vapes: Inside ICA's mission to uncover contraband at land checkpoints Singapore Sorting recyclables by material could boost low domestic recycling rate: Observers Singapore SM Lee receives Australia's highest civilian honour for advancing bilateral ties Asia Trump's sharp India criticism on tariffs, Russia oil corner Modi as rift deepens Singapore More train rides taken in first half-year, but overall public transport use stays below 2019 levels Singapore BlueSG needs time to develop software, refresh fleet, say ex-insiders after winding-down news Asia Cambodia-Thailand border clash a setback for Asean: Vivian Balakrishnan "In Italy, curling is not a very big sport," she added. "What me and Amos did in Beijing really made a difference. It's really good to see how Italians right now are cheering for us and follow us during our tournaments, our preparation. "Curling is not very big, but we are growing ... My life really changed a lot in one week, before leaving for China I was just a normal girl working part time and playing. "I came back a week later with a gold medal. We were nobody and then we came back and it was 'Okay, now we know you. Now you are someone important in Italy'." As hosts, Italy are guaranteed spots in all three curling events at the 2026 Games, with Constantini saying the nation's curlers would relish the prospect of having a home crowd cheering them on. HOMETOWN SUPPORT "I have lived two different experiences. I played in China, really far from home, where it was easy to focus just on curling," she added. "I was just me, my sport, my team. In less than one year, it will be really different, because we will play in Italy. I will play in my hometown with my family, my friends. "It will be a little weird. Usually we don't have someone that is cheering for us during the competition, because we play a lot in Canada. It will be really fun to compete with fans that are cheering for us, making some noise for us." After parting ways following their Beijing triumph, Constantini once again linked up with Mosaner this year and the pair are favourites to bring home another gold medal after taking the title at the world championships in May. "It's funny because we played together in the Olympics and then we didn't play together for three years," Constantini said. "I think we did great, we didn't practice very much before the world championships. We did just some practice together, throwing rocks and trying to find our dynamics again. "But it was not a problem at all. I think we really communicate well. We work together. We listen to each other. I think we can really find that perfect dynamic on the ice." The opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics will be held on February 6, though curling will kick off the action two days earlier at the Cortina Olympic Stadium. REUTERS
