Cycling
112th Tour: Mont Ventoux included and no detour abroad
After some innovations this year, the cycling world is expecting a classic tour next year – without a trip abroad. In 2025, a stage destination that has been ignored for a long time will return.
At the 112th Tour de France next year, the top professional cyclists can expect a classic tour of France with two returnees and an exciting mountain time trial. 36 years after the last ascent to Luchon-Superbagnères, the Pyrenees ski area returns in 2025, and the legendary Mont Ventoux will also be on the program. The ASO tour organizers announced this at the route presentation on Tuesday in the Palais de Congrès in Paris. For the first time in five years, the “Great Loop” with its 3,320 kilometers will take place without a trip abroad.
Overall, the favorites around defending champion Tadej Pogacar have to complete, among other things, six mountain stages and two time trials. There are 51,550 meters of altitude ahead, almost 700 meters less than this year. The mountain time trial on the 13th stage between Loudenville and the Peyragudes airfield in the Pyrenees, known from the James Bond film series, is awaited with particular excitement. The favorites to win are likely to have a bitter duel there.
Start in Lille, finish again in Paris
The 14th stage is also tough. After the start, we head from Pau to Superbagnères – a very demanding 4,950 meters in altitude ahead. For logistical reasons, the destination was not included for a long time. In the 1980s, the Frenchman Laurent Fignon and long-time adversary Greg LeMond from the USA fought legendary duels. “The route promises an eventful day of racing,” said tour boss Christian Prudhomme.
After three foreign starts in the last three years in Copenhagen, Bilbao and Florence, the Grand Départ is taking place again in France. After the start on July 5th in the northern French metropolis of Lille, which has been planned for some time, the cities of Caen, Toulouse and Montpellier are waiting for the 21 stages. Traditionally, the spectacle ends in Paris on the Champs-Élysées, after last year the tour was postponed to the finale in Nice due to the Olympic Games.
Women’s tour starts in Brittany
The women’s tour starts in Brittany in 2025 with nine stages, one more than this year. After the Grand Départ in Vannes on July 26th, the professional racers pass through the cities of Brest and Angers, among other places, before the tour ends after conquering the famous Col de Joux-Plane pass in the ski area of Châtel.
dpa
Source: Stern
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