A more in-depth have a look at the 2025 Tour de France Femmes by Zwift route. There’s a full traverse of France, an additional day of racing and a few well-known climbs
The very first thing to notice about Stage 1, is an additional day added. It now spans two full weekends now. The beginning on Saturday 26 July overlaps with the lads’s Tour which is onto Stage 20 by now. This would possibly clarify the brief distance at 79km in order that each races could be broadcast, we’ll see the timing and TV schedules later. This options the Côte de Cadoudal thrice, the climb is a staple of the GP du Morbihan race for women and men. Anticipate large crowds because it’s Brittany in summer time, a area the place many describe themselves as Breton first, French second and the place biking is unquestionably hottest, it’s extra racing licences by far than different areas and the native newspapers are stuffed with reviews from World Tour switch gossip to village cyclo-cross.
Stage 2 (110km) and if you happen to’re feeling déjà vu it may be from the opening levels of the 2018 males’s Tour like Stage 5 which featured the cobbled climb to Locronan en path to Quimper. Again then it was offered as a day the place the jagged hills of Brittany might blow the peloton to smithereens… solely it completed in a sizeable dash. This time Locronan is cited as “extreme” nevertheless it’s probably not. The ending loop has some extra climbing however the Chemin du Troheir is only a common nation street, sufficient to check some sprinters however no extra.
Stage 3 (162km) and the primary day reserved for les sprinteuses. The beginning is within the small city of La Gacilly which is dominated by Yves Rocher, the sweetness merchandise firm that controversially initiated the late Russian opposition chief Alexei Navalny’s a method slide down the Russian judicial system. Guess you didn’t anticipate to learn that in a route preview. It’ll be fascinating to see if the corporate is airbrushed out regardless of having resorts, eating places, gardens and factories throughout; or if it’s unveiled as a brand new sponsor? It’s a route that heads to the Loire valley and a few of its finest wines so search for the peloton passing vineyards of ripening Cabernet franc earlier than ending near the banks of the Maine in metropolis of Angers.
Stage 4 (128km) and one other day with a probable dash end. Extra Loire valley vineyards on the time after which its south in direction of Poitiers throughout land with out a lot to put in writing about though the route passes the Futuroscope theme park which has an extended connection to biking having hosted the lads’s Tour begin earlier than and likewise been a sponsor of what’s the FDJ-Suez group right this moment, the group’s HQ is simply up the street. There’s no full map but however Poitiers is hillier than you’d think about and the lads have had uphill finishes right here, or at the least a ramp to derail dash trains within the end.
Stage 5 (166km) and Futuroscope options correctly at the beginning after which the hills arrive. There’s extra déjà vu because the race goes to Dun-le-Palestel which featured in Paris-Good in 2022. Similar to then, the climb of the “Côte de Peyroux” was downplayed: 2.8km at 5.2% for 2021, right here it’s 3.3km at 4.3%. It’s really the Col de Peyroux as in a mountain move. Extra importantly it’s 10km lengthy and has loads of 6%. Alpine it isn’t although, nevertheless it 2021 it asphyxiated lots of the pure sprinters. Reasonably than trip into the small metropolis of Guéret there’s a loop out to deal with the Le Maupuy so as to add extra climbing. The rasping tarmac right here has featured within the Tour du Limousin earlier than a surprisingly quick descent to the end.
Stage 6 (124km, 2,350mV) and the mountains arrive. It’s flat for a brief second after Clermont then it’s throughout lumpy roads to the Dore valley and Olliergues the place quickly after the Col du Béal begins. Scene of a ding-dong battle between Chris Froome and Alberto Contador a decade in the past, this time it’s a distinct route up by way of the Pas de la Croix move to the Béal however comparable in really feel because it tracks up by the chestnut woodland on a street that by no means will get too steep. The race stays amid the forested flanks of the Massif central for 2 extra climbs on slim roads earlier than dropping into Ambert for the end.
If the climate’s good then the Alps can be seen quickly after the beginning of Stage 7 (km, 1,880mV+) even when there’s 100km throughout the plains of the Ain, Rhone and Isère first. The primary climb close to Saint Franc options as a detour on the best way to the Gorges du Guiers vif and provides extra climbing. Then it’s the lengthy Col du Granier, 20km in complete even when the profile above tries to interrupt it up into extra climbs and why not because it’s taken by way of the mild western facet. Finaly a quick however not wild descent that leads into Chambéry for the end.
Stage 8 (112km, 3,490mV+) begins straight up Mont Revard to deal with the Col de Plainpalais after which tour the Plateau des Bauges, a land of lush pastures and clanging cowbells earlier than leaving by way of the Col du Frêne, a kind of uneven passes which is climbed by way of the straightforward facet earlier than a descent that’s frêne for frenetic. There are brief cuts over the Maurienne valley however race stays on the valley ground earlier than the scenic balcony street to Saint-Georges. The Col Madeleine is a big, 18.6km at a steep 8.1% making this the decisive summit end. As ever whisper it however the actual peak is 1,993m however the label of two,000m simply seems to be higher.
Stage 9 (124km, 2880mV+)and an opportunity for revenge if somebody obtained the day prior to this all unsuitable. It’s downhill out of Megève to the valley ground. The “Côte d’Arâches” is a scenic cliff street on the best way to the Flaine ski resort earlier than turning to take a balcony street throughout. Then comes the fearsome Joux-Aircraft, the place 11.5km at 8.5% is difficult sufficient however the climb in some way conspires to really feel tougher, most likely as a result of the early slopes are steep and irregular. Then comes the toboggan-run descent to Morzine earlier than the principle valley street and the laborious Col du Corbier which lifts the race over the Abondance valley. From right here it’s the principle street and so a repeat of final summer time’s stopwatch suspense on the final minute appears unlikely however the Joux-Aircraft is so robust up and down that it might open the stage huge up early on. The end is Châtel however the route goes by the ski resort after which up and out the opposite facet for a end in Pré La Joux, the identical used for the lads in 2022.
The VerdictA pleasing diagonal form, from the western most level of Finistère to the Swiss border to tour loads of France. As a week-long stage race does the ladies’s race need to mimic the lads’s race with flat levels constructing to result-shaping mountain levels within the Alps and Pyrenees? Arguably not however it’s and with this establishing itself because the prime stage race. Utilizing well-known climbs bolsters this, importing “manufacturers” just like the Col du Tourmalet and Alpe d’Huez earlier than, now the Madeleine and Joux-Aircraft. Subsequent 12 months the Galiber or Mont Ventoux?
Sports activities-wise the Tourmalet in 2023 was seen by some as daring as a result of it might be virtually too selective nevertheless it labored out properly. Come 2024 and Alpe d’Huez was even higher with a finale the organisers didn’t dare to script. So hopefully the Madeleine and Joux-Aircraft ship too.
Like the lads’s route it’s additionally value pondering what shouldn’t be there and the apparent omission is a time trial. Given Demi Vollering received the Rotterdam stage this 12 months, maybe the absence of the TT is not any dangerous factor, extra climbers could be in competition going into the ultimate weekend after which there needs to be no doubting the winner and the rostrum order. Vollering should be the central choose however her transfer is one among a number of adjustments throughout the highest groups this winter and the reallocation of expertise and sources needs to be fascinating to see subsequent season, together with on the Tour.
