Opening week of 2025 Tour de France will be "really difficult for Jonas Vingegaard, a real challenge" according to Dutch pundits

The route and profile of the 2025 Tour de France is here and across the cycling world, experts are pondering the parcours. On the latest episode of Eurosport's 'Kop over Kop' podcast, the topic of the Tour de France is understandably front and centre.

"These are the kind of Tours where you would think in the past: oh, a few sprinter stages and a few flat stages... But it's never really quiet either. The only advantage is that we might have a new man in yellow on the second day," analyses Jan Hermsen, noting that none of the main Maillot Jaune contenders are perfectly suited for the opening week. "This is not a first week that would make those guys happy. Tadej Pogacar maybe, but Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard certainly not. This one is really difficult for Vingegaard, a real challenge."

One stage in particular that could play to Vingegaard's strengths is the mountain time trial. "I was very surprised, because my script included two time trials. Then I realised that I had only seen one, but the second one is a very short one. That is of course a climbing time trial. I thought that was really great," Hermsen notes, with colleague Bobbie Traksel in complete agreement. "This is of course very different from how we have seen such a time trial before. Back then, there was often a longer approach, but now it is three kilometres flat and then we will immediately start climbing. That is a serious thing. The last few kilometres are also really steep, so you don't have to hesitate to ride a time trial bike."

With returns for mammoth climbs such as Mont Ventoux, Hautacam and the Col de la Loze, Traksel also expects a stunning GC fight in the third week. "Certainly if you look at the climbs you mention. Mont Ventoux, Hautacam, Peyragudes twice and La Plagne and so on. In terms of kilometres, it is not too bad. In some editions they rode more than a hundred kilometres more. In terms of difficulty it is certainly difficult," he concludes, also noting how this route opens the door to a Giro d'Italia / Tour de France double. "I think that guys like Tadej Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard can do that with this Tour."