"I don’t think it’s a good idea" - Jonas Vingegaard questions safety of adding Montmartre to Tour de France final stage
CyclingThursday, 22 May 2025 at 07:33
The incredible parcours of the road race at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games has inspired the Tour de France organisers to change the iconic Champs-Elysees final stage for 2025. Rather than the processional ride before the final bunch sprint, this year, the cobbled Montmartre climb that ripped up that battle for Olympic gold, will be added to the Grand Tour finale.
There's been a somewhat mixed reception to the news. Whilst for fans of the sport, the addition of the climb is likely to raise the excitement levels of the final stage, for the riders themselves it's just one more thing to worry about navigating safely.
For Jonas Vingegaard, safety is the key issue when it comes to finding a fault with the race organisers adding Montmartre. “To be honest, I don’t think it’s a good idea,” the two-time Maillot Jaune winner stated at a press conference on Monday. “It was great to include Montmartre in the Olympics. It worked well — there were lots of people and a fantastic atmosphere.”
"But in that race, there were only 50 riders left in the peloton when they reached Montmartre. In the Tour de France, we’ll be 150 riders all fighting for position on a very narrow climb,” the Dane explains. “It could end up being a lot more stressful than the organisers are anticipating.”
Vingegaard isn't the only one of the Tour de France's leading stars to question the decision either. Remco Evenepoel, the man who won Olympic gold in Paris last summer has also raised concerns. "Don't make it too complex and just stick to that local round. I think there will be enough battle for positioning in the first week of the Tour. With Montmartre added, that would mean we have to do the same on the last day. We will be tired enough by then," the Belgian told Sporza previously.
👀 A few days after Jonas Vingegaard, it was @TamauPogi who was scouting the roads of the time trial between Loudenvielle and Peyragudes today....
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) May 20, 2025
💛 The #TDF2025 is approaching
👀 Quelques jours après Jonas Vingegaard, c'est @TamauPogi qui était aujourd'hui en reconnaissance… pic.twitter.com/u7k0D5PNtP
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Two grand tours for a 21 year old is a lot.JoostMehrtens07-06-2025
- 'I’m feeling good' - the rest may as well not turn up then...
leedorney07-06-2025 - Well Mario, you lost all of your Giros but you are still hereabstractengineer07-06-2025
- Not sure this type of show will always be looked on positivelyMistermaumau06-06-2025
- Strategy? What strategy? They had less than Viable had at the Vuelta Kuss won. When you read management trying to offload blame with turns like « we tried to encourage him » (IDT) to watch Yates, you have to ask, is anyone directing anything? How about TELLING him?Mistermaumau06-06-2025
- They don’t half come up with some crap to turn events into stories. Problem is, if all this was true and so influential, that means 1. Riders are lacking inherent motivation and possibilities for motivation, 2. it’s due to race radio chatter he won and 3. They were lucky no attention was given and race radio didn’t mention him. In fact you are basically admitting outside influence skewed the race and if it works, this technique might get exploited commercially in future by corrupt or biased staff, rivals and officials. So c’mon guys, let’s stay a little factual coz otherwise you’re only going to shoot yourselves in the feet.Mistermaumau06-06-2025
- Maybe Ayuso will ride Tour de France coming July to help Pogi better than Adam Yates. We don't know what Gianetti and Matxin going on their minds.
James2631806-06-2025 - Glad it worked for Yates, I don't believe for 1 second that UAE would conduct themselves like so with Pog. #nowayleedorney06-06-2025
- He'd won the Giro after all. That should put him as the strongest rider by itself. His rivals couldn't match him on the Finestre. Superior team tactics, but also superior legs by no means. He didn't even miss a doping test. Believe it or notBM06-06-2025
- Solid worker this guy 💪leedorney06-06-2025
Some of those streets are the width of a car, this is stupid, I hope they don't take out the Tour winner.
Inevitably... they don't want to ride it, ok understandable after three weeks of racing but how many of us tune in avidly to the last day of the tour to see the Champs Elysee 7 times... Personally I like the sound of this add to the spice of the tour, its fresh, the big sprint does not illicit excitement any more and THATS what the TV and ASO want. Like it or not, it's the same for everyone