'Kaden Groves secures breakaway victory on Tour de France's stage 20 by distinguishing himself from the crowd'
In a thrilling display of aggressive riding and tactical acumen, Australian cyclist Kaden Groves claimed a solo breakaway victory in Stage 20 of the 2025 Tour de France. This marked his first Tour stage win and completed stage wins in all three Grand Tours.
The stage, covering 184.2 km from Nantua to Pontarlier, offered challenging terrain that favoured attackers seeking stage glory before the final Paris stage. The race was marked by aggressive riding and attrition, with a prominent abandonment due to illness impacting the peloton dynamics.
Groves, known more as a rider who is suited to the bunch sprint, surprised many by making a move away from his less-experienced rivals. A group of 13 managed to slip away from the bunch more than 90 minutes into the race. As the race progressed, Groves proved himself to be the strongest and smartest in the leading group.
With 30km left, the chase had split into three groups, with some riders falling behind, including Matteo Jorgensen and Tim Wellens. Attacks flew on the final climb, with Iván Romeo, Romain Grégoire, and Kaden Groves putting in digs and reducing the group.
In the closing stages, Groves attacked his breakaway companions and finished solo, securing a lead of over a minute. Frank van den Broek (Picnin-PostNL) finished second, and Pascal Eenkhoorn (Soudal-QuickStep) finished third.
Tadej Pogačar, the yellow jersey, finished more than seven minutes behind, indicating the strength of Groves' performance.
Career Background
Born in 1998, Groves is an Australian cyclist who has made a name for himself as a sprinter with better climbing ability than typical sprinters. Before 2025, he had won seven stages at the Vuelta a España and two at the Giro d'Italia.
This was Groves' first edition of the Tour de France. Initially, he rode as lead-out for teammate Jasper Philipsen, who withdrew early. After Mathieu van der Poel also exited due to illness, Groves took leadership opportunities.
Team Strategy
Groves' team, Alpecin–Deceuninck, had already secured two wins in the 2025 Tour through Philipsen and van der Poel before their withdrawals. Groves took initiative in stage 20 by joining a 13-rider breakaway, moving away solo to the finish to claim the win. This marked a shift from his usual bunch sprint focus to a more aggressive, opportunistic approach aligned with team needs after key riders left the race.
Race Conditions
The stage was seen as a chance for the breakaway, as the big mountains had been completed and the penultimate stage was scrapped for a hilly course through the Jura. Jayco-AlUla initially made the move before Mauro Schmid crashed. The Australian team aimed to protect the GC top-10 of Ben O'Connor, which was under threat from Jordan Jegat.
With this solo breakaway victory, Kaden Groves has solidified his place as a versatile rider capable of winning solo breakaways, benefiting from a team strategy that adapts after setbacks, and executing under tough race conditions favouring aggressive tactics. He will now take the de facto team lead for the final two stages of the Tour de France.
- The stage, offering challenging terrain and favoring attackers, provided an opportunity for a breakaway, a move taken by Kaden Groves, who claimed a solo victory in the 2025 Tour de France.
- Amidst the aggressive riding and attrition, Kaden Groves, known for his sprinting skills, surprised many by making a move in the 13-rider breakaway, showcasing his versatility and adaptability during the race.
