Mont Ventoux and a Pyrenees TT in one Tour de France – can any cycling fan wait any longer?! Jonas reloads. Remco rises. Tadej winks at Eddy Merckx.
Cycling
Today is 16th May 2025, and for cycling fans around the
world, that date carries a special significance. Why? Because it means we are
now just 50 days away from the start of the 2025 Tour de France.
Just get this. A Mont Ventoux and a Pyrenees time trial in one Tour de France. A stacked start list. A countdown with the weight of legends. In just 50 days, the peloton rolls out from Lille—and the world’s biggest cycling showdown begins. Jonas Vingegaard reloads for revenge. Remco Evenepoel would love to rise in pursuit of glory. And Tadej Pogacar? He’s chasing history, with a wink toward the record books and the ghost of Eddy Merckx.
Yes, the Giro d’Italia is still in full swing and rightly
demanding our attention, it has been a brilliant race so far. But the countdown
to cycling’s crown jewel has officially begun.
299 days since Pogacar secured a third yellow jersey
It almost feels like the 2024 edition just ended. On 21st
July 2024, Tadej Pogacar sealed his third yellow jersey in stunning style,
winning stage 21, his sixth stage victory of that Tour, and completing a
historic Giro-Tour double.
Pogacar’s 2024 Tour was nothing short of incredible. Six stage
wins, and a 6:17 buffer to second-placed Jonas Vingegaard in the general
classification. He looked invincible. Remco Evenepoel completed the podium in
third, having pushed hard but unable to match Pogacar’s level on the Belgian’s
debut at the Tour.
Since then, the narrative has only intensified. Pogacar has
enjoyed a phenomenal spring in 2025 and now enters the Tour as the world
champion and overwhelming favourite.
What will 2025 bring?
A lot can change in 299 days, and 2025 is shaping up to be
an intriguing renewal of cycling’s greatest race.
Tadej Pogacar is at the peak of his powers. Fresh off
dominating the Spring Classics (with wins at the Tour of Flanders, Amstel Gold
Race, Liege) and riding high as the reigning Tour and Giro champion from last
year, the Slovenian seems to be chasing not just wins, but legacy.
Tadej Pogacar will be the man to beat in July
Jonas Vingegaard, so often Pogacar’s greatest rival, has had
a quieter season. But if we’ve learned anything from recent years, it’s that
the Dane knows how to peak in July. Despite patchy form, it would be unwise to
count him out. Remco Evenepoel is still playing catch-up in 2025, after his
training crash last December. Yet the Belgian remains a serious contender,
especially with two individual time trials on this year’s route.
The three are set to clash at the Critérium du Dauphiné
starting 8th June, a key form-check before the Tour. All eyes will be on that
showdown as we look for clues about who’s really ready.
Beyond the Big Three
Of course, the Tour is far more than just a GC contest.
Primoz Roglic, riding the Giro as we speak, will be
looking to match Pogacar with an audacious Giro-Tour double this year. And what
about Mathieu van der Poel? The monument king has just one Tour stage win to
his name, stage 2 in 2021 when he took yellow and rode in honour of his
grandfather Raymond Poulidor. Could this finally be the year he adds another?
Then there’s the sprinters. The fight for the green jersey
could be one of the most intense we’ve seen in years. Biniam Girmay, Jasper
Philipsen, Jonathan Milan, and Tim Merlier headline a stacked field. And with
the first stage in Lille designed for a sprint finish, there’s a genuine chance
for a fastman to take the first maillot jaune of 2025.
The route
This year’s Tour kicks off with a 185km stage around Lille,
staying in the Hauts-de-France region. The early profile is relatively
forgiving, designed to reward the sprinters and classics specialists, before
the high mountains arrive much later.
Up until stage 11, the route favours the powerful men.
Stages 1–11 could produce chaos for the general classification if the wind,
weather, or tactics break things up, but they’re primarily opportunities for
breakaways and bunch finishes.
Then comes the real test. Stages 12, 13, and 14 will take
the race through the Pyrenees, including: a summit finish in Hautacam, a mountain
time-trial in Peyragudes, before another uphill finish at Superbagnères
The third week is even more punishing. Mont Ventoux returns
on stage 16, a fearsome challenge with historic significance, which the peloton
has not tackled since 2021. That day, Vingegaard put the first dents in
Pogacar’s armour, dropping him on the climb.
The race then heads into the Alps for two key GC days with
climbs of the Col de la Loze and La Plagne. The Col de la Loze is more good
news for Vingegaard fans, if we think back to how he demolished Pogacar on that
climb in 2023. The final week could be decisive, and with so many summit
finishes compressed into the last 10 days, expect fireworks.
Time Trials could be pivotal
This year’s route features two time trials, and that’s great
news for Remco Evenepoel. The first TT comes on stage 5 and could offer Remco
an early chance to snatch yellow. Who knows what he could do if he establishes
an early lead.
The second TT, as mentioned, is a mountain test in the
Pyrenees, stage 13 in Peyragudes. It could play a pivotal role in reshaping the
GC before the decisive third week. Time trials have always had the potential to
swing the Tour, just ask Roglic in 2020. And in this edition, the balance of
power could shift again with just a handful of pedal strokes.
Could we see Evenepoel in yellow?
Who will wear yellow on day 1?
It’s been a fascinating few years in terms of early yellow
jerseys. In 2024, Romain Bardet shocked everyone with a brilliant win on stage
1 to take yellow on home soil.In 2023, Adam Yates outsprinted twin brother
Simon for the first maillot jaune.
In 2025, with a flat sprint expected in Lille, we may return
to a sprinter’s opener. That gives the likes of Philipsen, Merlier, and Milan a
once-in-a-career opportunity: to wear the yellow jersey on day one. If they do,
expect chaos in the green jersey battle from the very start.
Cycling is a sport of momentum, rhythm, and timing. As the
Giro unfolds, the shadows of July are already beginning to form. While riders
fine-tune their preparations and teams finalise their rosters, fans are
counting down already. We certainly are!
In 50 days, we’ll know who takes the first yellow of 2025.
And three weeks after that, we’ll know if Tadej Pogacar can make even more
history, or if one of his rivals can stop him.
Until then, enjoy the Giro. But don’t blink. July is coming.
🤩 Here it is, the official route of the #TDF2025!
— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) October 29, 2024
🤩 Voici le parcours officiel du #TDF2025 ! pic.twitter.com/HvNLVJSwuI
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- I see (elsewhere) that Alaphilippe had more to say than what got relayed in this stub. Me: he was very good early but his latter third trajectory was the pits. His old boss did what he could (huffed and puffed) but Julian couldn't get his greatness back. Sometimes I wonder if crashes that didn't look like much changed the course of the rider.flyer14-11-2026
- I wouldn't classify it as a gift because the nasty consequences of taking it from Sepp would have been great and would persist and he knew it.flyer14-11-2026
- Ok. Tratnik's good and Red Bull's better so Tratnik may get what he wants.flyer14-11-2026
- Ok. So just saying he wasn't enjoying racing anymore is some kind of explanation? Me saying I don't enjoy his explanation is more explaining than he did.flyer14-11-2026
- Buitrago, was he their best rider in 2026? He's the chief loss for them and Martinez and Tiberi (especially) have to step up or they will be overtaken by Bahrain's younger riders like Omrzel. I'm still somewhat high on Martinez but Tiberi, after showing signs of promise, has fizzled. Bahrain still has a good team but they need to improve and exceed expectations. I'd be happy if Mohoric could manage to return to his better form for maybe one last year at least.flyer14-11-2026
- Hmmm, "... I just gained 30 seconds purely off the bike. Because it's really a big, big improvement compared to the previous bike". Is that marketing for Specialized or serious valid hype, or something in between? Very likely the former.flyer14-11-2026
- Nothing revelatory or controversial. Why do we have to report on Bruyneel's or Armstrong's thinking. It's a shame and enough that the Move's on TV and that people watch it .flyer14-11-2026
- Makes sense that training from home is a big asset or advantage but it's still remarkable that he can put in three quality majors and not pay some heavy price for the exertion. I wish he would have won that tour stage that his crash while leading allowed Carapaz the win. He's a darn good rider and teammate.flyer14-11-2026
- Sounds like we all agree with the over under exaggeration: "The German’s signing does not guarantee that Evenepoel will win the Tour in 2027. "flyer14-11-2026
- Seixas appears to be that good but if he isn't (an absolute rival to Pogacar) he would have plenty of company in rising stars that did not go on to fully meet the expectations of many. That Pogacar wasn't the greatest (as great) sooner can't be transposed onto another's development. It may be not that simple.flyer14-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment