Anticipating disorder: The opinions of the Tour de France cyclists on the revised final stage in Paris reveals their sentiment
Tour de France 2025: Montmartre Makes a Comeback in the Final Stage
The final stage of the 2025 Tour de France is set to be a thrilling affair, with the iconic Butte Montmartre making a comeback in the race after a significant absence. The final ascent will be crested with 6.1km to go, marking the last categorised climb of the race.
This year, the Tour de France has seen several challenging stages, but the final day promises to be even more exciting. The first summit of the Butte Montmartre comes with 40km to go, followed by three laps of the traditional Champs-Elysees loop. The final summit of the Tour de France's final stage will be just 6km from the finish line.
Race director Christian Prudhomme has expressed his hope that the uncertainty of the final stage will be "glorious" for fans. He believes that the inclusion of Montmartre showcases a vivid and passionate part of Paris and the Tour’s fanbase, bringing a unique atmosphere different from the usual tree-lined Champs-Elysees.
The introduction of the Butte Montmartre is expected to make the final day of the Tour de France "a lot more difficult" for the sprint trains to control. Wout van Aert anticipates chaos in the final stage due to the large Tour peloton compared to the Olympic peloton. Jonas Vingegaard is concerned about the narrow width of the Butte Montmartre, which could lead to stress during the race.
Remco Evenepoel, winner of the 2020 Olympic road race, is against the inclusion of the Côte de la Butte Montmartre in the Tour de France route, fearing that the battle for positioning into the Butte Montmartre might give way to chaos and could potentially lead to riders losing their places in the standings.
Tadej Pogačar, another contender for the yellow jersey, also expects more stress in the final stage due to the Olympic route. Oscar Onley sees the final stage as something exciting, adding a different element to the race.
The final stage of the 2025 Tour de France will trace the climb of Rue Lepic (now known as Côte de la Butte Montmartre) three times. The winner is expected to cross the finish line around 18:30 UK time.
Historically, the final stage of the Tour de France has been a spectacle of its own, with winners such as Mark Cavendish, Marcel Kittel, and Jordi Meeus taking the final-day sprint on the Champs-Elysees in the past 50 years. This year, the artist's quarter in Paris, known for caricatures, wine, and city views, is expected to be flooded with cycling fans, as more than half a million people gathered by the roadside in Paris during the men's Olympic road race.
As the peloton races past the sex shops of Pigalle, beneath the Moulin Rouge, and onto Rue Lepic, they will experience a nervous build-up as they approach Montmartre. The final stage of the 2025 Tour de France promises late drama, jeopardy until the final pedal strokes, and fan delight on the streets of Paris.
Despite the history of final-day sprints on the Champs-Elysees, the 2025 Tour de France will introduce sports competition to the iconic Butte Montmartre, adding unpredictability and excitement to the final stage. The final 6km of the race will be a challenging ascent up Montmartre, potentially leading to dramatic changes in the standings.
