The boss of the great loop Christian Prudhomme hopes that the French “will be able to win stages”

On the eve of the departure of the 2025 Tour in Lille, Christian Prudhomme, director of the Tour de France, is delighted with the popular enthusiasm and relies on French youth to shine on the stages, despite the lack of ambition in the general classification.

Christian Prudhomme, director of the Tour de France, rejoices on Friday July 4 of the popular enthusiasm around the race, on the eve of Lille departure on Saturday. “The presentation of the teams was really great Thursday with yellow everywhere and a lot of fervor”he underlines, welcoming the reception reserved for runners on the Lille Grand-Place. The boss of the Grande Boucle hopes that the French, “which will have no real ambition in the general classification, will be able to win stages”

Julian Alaphilippe remains the star of the French peloton, as shown by the presentation of the runners: “He is the only Frenchman twice champion of the world on the road. His epic in yellow in 2019 in particular, but also in 2020 or 2021, enthusiastic everyone. He is super nice. He never refuses an autograph or a selfie. He goes to people with a big smile. 'Loulou', indeed, it remains the darling.”

Regarding the route, the Director of the Tour justifies the absence of cobblestones from the North at the start of the event. “”We did not want to take disproportionate risks by putting the cobblestones from the first or second step, underlines Christian Prudhomme. We made the choice of the coasts, which will be expressed on Sunday on the road to Boulogne and which will then be found to Rouen. ” Christian Prudhomme also provides for good steps in Brittany, with “Short but very steep coasts, where the Plunters and the favorites of the general classification will inevitably be in front”.

The 2025 Tour will be fully hexagonal, without passing abroad. “It is a totally assumed choice. The last time was in 2020, for a logistical question. It is a choice, after three major departures abroad, before new departures abroad, to make a route that leaves from France, on a land which vibrates for cycling, which vibrates for the Tour de France”, assures Christian Prudhomme.

In terms of French ambitions, the boss of the Tour relies on youth:

“There are many quality young people, and I hope that the Lenny Martinez, Kévin Vauquelin or Romain Grégoire will be able to seek stage victories and a good place to the general despite everything.

Christian Prudhomme, boss of the Tour de France

in franceinfo

Lenny Martinez, Kévin Vauquelin and Romain Grégoire are three French people to watch close among the 38 from the Tour.

Asked about the prospect of a new duel between Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, Christian Prudhomme hopes a surprise. “If there is a third man, Remco Evenepoel, even more ready than it was last year, it will go very well. The Tour de France has so much imagination”, he said, adding that “The route that has been traced is made so that there is potentially suspense until the end.”