Tour de France Femmes announce 2025 wildcards as Lotto miss out

The organisers of the Tour de France Femmes have awarded five wildcard entries for the 2025 edition of the race. Among the notable absentees are the Lotto Ladies, who starred in last year’s edition but have consciously decided not to return this time around.

In 2024, Lotto Ladies delivered one of the most impressive performances of the race. Although young riders like Mieke Docx, Wilma Aintila and Fauve Bastiaenssen had to battle against the time limit in the tougher mountain stages, it was team leader Thalita de Jong who led the charge. The Dutch rider impressed in the high mountains, claiming three top 10 finishes and securing tenth place overall in the general classification.

However, the team’s plans have shifted for 2025 following De Jong’s departure to WorldTeam Human Powered Health over the winter. Without their standout leader, Lotto has reassessed their ambitions.

“Last year, the Tour de France Femmes was something you could go to with ambition, especially with a strong leader like Thalita. With the current group of riders, it is a conscious choice not to return,” team manager Grace Verbeke told Wielerflits.

Verbeke explained that Lotto has chosen to focus once again on youth development, and felt the Tour de France Femmes would be a step too far for their current lineup.

"In addition to a few riders who are starting to take steps based on last year's experiences, we have made the choice to invest in youth again. With that mix, the Tour de France Femmes is still a bit too ambitious and we found the Vuelta a slightly more feasible card. The Vuelta also fits better on the competition calendar for us. We are really looking forward to that," said Verbeke.

Meanwhile, the Tour de France Femmes organisers (ASO) have announced their five wildcard selections for 2025. Invitations have gone to Arkéa–B&B Hotels, Cofidis, St Michel–Mavic–Auber93, Winspace Orange Seal, and Laboral Kutxa.

The 2024 edition of the race, the third since its revival, was won by Katarzyna Niewiadoma. The 2025 edition will once again span nine days and promises to showcase some of the brightest talent in women’s cycling, even in the absence of Lotto Ladies.