Tour de France 2025: Stage-by-stage race guide 🇫🇷

We analyse the full route of the men's race, look at all the major climbs, and stage profiles

The men’s 2025 Tour de France route was presented in Paris on Tuesday with ASO opting for a full French affair, with the race situated entirely within France for the first time in five years.

Starting in Lille on Saturday, July 7, the complete route takes in 21 stages across several major mountain regions, two two time trials, and a hat-full of opportunities for the sprinters before the race concludes in Paris on Sunday, July 27. Here we break down the route stage-by-stage, look at all the major talking points and pick out some potential favourites.

The stage 1 analysis is free for all subscribers but if you’d like to read the full 21-stage article please consider taking out a paid subscription. I’ll have a full analysis of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift soon.

Tour de France route highlights

🚵 In total there 7 flat stages, 6 hilly stages, 6 mountain stages with five mountain finishes at Hautacam, Luchon-Superbagnères, Mont Ventoux, Courchevel Col de la Loze and La Plagne Tarentaise.

⏰ There are two individual time trials.

😴 And two customary rest days

🇫🇷 The race takes in stages through the Pyrenees, Alps, Jura and my favourite range, the Massif Central.

🪜 In total the riders will climb 51,550m during the three-week race.

🚴 The race will comprise of 176 riders representing 22 teams.

Stage 1 Lille Métropole to Lille Métropole

For the first time in five years, the Tour de France Grand Départ will start with a sprinter-friendly stage as the peloton tracks through urban and industrial areas around Lille for 185km of racing.

There are three categorised climbs but nothing to write home about, so expect a suicide break to head up the road, snaffle up some TV time and the first KOM jersey of the race before teams like Soudal Quick-Step, Alpecin and Intermarché set about controlling the race. I’m not a fan of sprint stages opening up Grand Tours. The race is tense enough and with no time gaps established and so many riders fighting for position, it just raises the temperature in the peloton and leads to an increased risk of crashes.

I know prologues aren’t everyone’s cup of tea but they establish a pecking order in the race. Anyway, this will be a mass bunch sprint, the GC teams will have their fingers crossed that nothing happens, and we’ll see one of the sprinters pull on the first yellow jersey.