Tour de France 2025 Preview: Everything you need to know

Tour de France FAQ

How does the Tour de France work?

The Tour de France stands out as one of three prestigious races that span three weeks, collectively known as the Grand Tours, alongside the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España. The Tour stands out as the most recognized and arguably the most esteemed event.

The second of the three races on the calendar unfolds, with the Giro scheduled for May, the Tour typically in July, and the Vuelta set for August and September.

The Tour, akin to all Grand Tours, features a diverse landscape that includes flat stages for sprinters, hilly segments for puncheurs, and mountainous challenges for climbers and GC contenders, complemented by time trials. To emerge victorious, a rider must excel across all types of terrain.

The ultimate accolade in the race, referred to as the general classification, hinges on time, with the overall leader proudly donning the iconic yellow jersey. The rider who accumulates the least amount of time over the 21 days of racing emerges as the race leader and ultimately claims victory. It is possible for riders to clinch the Tour de France title without securing a single stage victory, as demonstrated by Chris Froome in 2017. Stage winners receive time bonuses of 10, six, and four seconds, providing a compelling incentive for general classification riders to pursue individual victories and reduce their overall time.

In 2020, Tadej Pogačar clinched victory with an impressive time of 87 hours, 20 minutes, and 5 seconds, finishing just 59 seconds ahead of the second-place rider. The journey extends to the very last place rider, Roger Kluge from Lotto-Soudal, who crossed the finish line 6 hours, 7 minutes, and 2 seconds later.

The white best young rider’s jersey is determined in a similar fashion, with eligibility restricted to riders who are 25 years old or younger.

The polka-dot mountains jersey and the green points jersey are awarded based on a points system rather than time. Time would only be a factor if riders are tied on points; in that case, the determination would shift to who holds the best position in the general classification.

The team classification relies on the overall times of the top three riders from each team during every stage. The combined time of the three riders is calculated and added to their team’s overall time, resulting in a general classification list similar to the individual standings. The top team proudly dons yellow numbers and helmets throughout each stage.

The ultimate classification on offer is the combativity prize. A race jury or, more recently, Twitter, makes this decision. This occurs right before the conclusion of each stage, typically awarded to a rider from the breakaway who has delivered an audacious performance or sought to invigorate the stage with an attack. The recipient of the combativity award proudly dons a distinctive red race number in the next day’s stage.

A final prize has been introduced, with the Super Combativity award set to be presented on the podium in Paris. The selection is made in a manner akin to identifying the most bold, captivating, and audacious rider throughout the entire three-week event. Typically, this will be directed towards a rider who has consistently been part of the breakaway.

Stage winners don’t don anything extraordinary the following day, aside from receiving a small yellow jersey to affix to their bike number. This jersey can be swapped out if they clinch additional stage victories.

Teams previously arrived at the race with nine riders, but the UCI, the governing body of cycling, determined that having nine riders per team posed too great a risk. As a result, the limit was reduced to eight riders, leading to an increase in the number of participating teams.

How long is the Tour de France?

The Tour de France unfolds over an exhilarating span of 23 days, featuring 21 thrilling race days. The riders enjoy two days of rest, typically scheduled for the second and third Monday of the race. However, this year, the first rest day is set for a day later than usual to accommodate the excitement of racing on Bastille Day.

Road stages can vary significantly, typically spanning from approximately 100km to nearly 250km, and occasionally even longer. This year, the shortest road stage is stage 21, spanning 120km from Mantes-la-Ville to Paris, while the longest stretches 212km on stage two, traveling from Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer.

Road stages typically last about four to five hours, with some of the longer days occasionally stretching beyond seven hours.

Time trials consistently take less time. In the realm of road racing, team time trials have faded into the background, leaving individual time trials as the primary focus of attention today.

In 2025, riders will face two individual time trials during the Tour, presenting a unique challenge to showcase their skills. Stage five presents a challenge for the specialists, featuring a 33km time trial that begins and ends in Caen. The second route spans just 11km, winding through a captivating mountainous landscape from Loudenvielle to Peyragudes.

When does the Tour de France start?

The 2025 Tour de France kicks off on July 5 in Lille, located in northern France, featuring an exciting road stage. This year marks a remarkable return, as the Tour is set to unfold entirely within the borders of France for the first time in five years. The race culminates in Paris three weeks later, featuring the classic procession for the general classification riders and an exhilarating sprint for the speedsters on the legendary Champs-Élysées.

The race in 2025 is set to take place from July 5 to July 27, featuring an exciting lineup of 21 stages.