PREVIEW | Tour de France Femmes 2025 stage 8 - Maillot Jaune decider on the Col de la Madeleine
Cycling
The 2025 edition of the Tour de France Femmes promises to be one of the most thrilling in the race’s short but rapidly growing history. With a route that spans from the windswept coastline of Bretagne to the punishing high mountains of the Alps, this year’s race showcases both the scenic beauty and the physical demands of elite women’s cycling. The event begins on July 26th and culminates on August 3rd, with eight stages that blend sprint finishes, rolling terrain, and mountain drama. And nowhere is the drama expected to be more intense than in the final on Stage 8.
The stage begins with an early challenge: the Col de Plainpalais, a steep and demanding ascent that could see early attacks and splits. The road then winds through the Alpine valleys before reaching the legendary Col de la Madeleine, one of the longest and most iconic climbs in France. At 18 kilometres in length with sustained gradients averaging around 8%, the Madeleine will serve as the final battleground.
As a summit finish, this climb is likely to produce significant time gaps. The GC contenders will have no choice but to go all-in — whether defending yellow or launching one last attack. With fatigue from the previous seven stages in their legs, it will come down to pure climbing strength and race-day strategy.
Stage 8 could be set to crown not just a stage winner, but possibly the overall champion. It’s the queen stage for a reason — a potentially decisive test in the high mountains where Demi Vollering, Kim Le Court and all other GC contenders will be taken to the limit.
Stage 8: Chambéry - Col de la Madeleine, 112 kilometers
Prediction Tour de France Femmes 2025 stage 8:
*** Demi Vollering
** Sarah Gigante, Katarzyna Niewiadoma
* Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, Anna van der Breggen, Pauliena Rooijakkers, Juliette Labous, Niamh Fisher-Black, Cedrine Kerbaol
** Sarah Gigante, Katarzyna Niewiadoma
* Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, Anna van der Breggen, Pauliena Rooijakkers, Juliette Labous, Niamh Fisher-Black, Cedrine Kerbaol
Pick: Demi Vollering
Original: Rúben Silva
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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