The large loop starts for a first step drawn up around Lille on Saturday, and the first yellow jersey of this 112nd edition should return to a sprinter.
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Let's go for the 112nd edition of the Tour de France! For this big departure in Lille, the first in France since Brest in 2021, the runners will be entitled to a relatively flat stage, Saturday July 5 (live on France Télévisions). In addition to the stage victory, this first day will necessarily be special since it will award the first yellow jersey of this edition. The contenders should therefore be numerous to raise their arms in the capital of the North.
What is the profile?
It is a sprinter who should dream of the first yellow jersey of this edition. This 1st stage, 184.9 km long, will only include three difficulties listed, the last of which, Mont Noir (4th category), will be located 45 kilometers from the finish. Mount Cassel, well -known coast of northerners (1.9 km at 3.5%) also seems to be too far from arrival to be decisive.
If the route will take no paved sector, the nervousness of the peloton, usual at the start of the Tour, will force each runner to vigilance to the final sprint located in Lille (Boulevard Vauban), which welcomes the Tour for the 19th time, the first from the 5th stage of the 2022 edition between Lille and Arenberg Porte du Hainaut, won by Australian Simon Clarke.
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Who are the favorites?
Tim Merlier (Sudal-Quick-Step), Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck). The three fastest men in the world in 2025 are the three big favorites in the first yellow jersey of this Tour. The first, already victorious 10 times in 2025 (four times in the World Tour) is the most fit and perhaps the number one favorite for its second participation. The second, Cyclamen jersey of the Giro in 2024 (with three stages victories), is the new terror of the sprint. This season, he won over the four stages races he has played, including the Critérium du Dauphiné in early June.
Finally, Jasper Philipsen, a green 2023 Tour jersey and nine times winner on the last three editions of the Grande Boucle, cannot be dismissed. But the Belgian has only two successes this season, despite eight top 10. He can still count on a formidable pilot fish in the person of Mathieu Van der Poel. Finally, among the outsiders, we will cite the outgoing green jersey, Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty), Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-Alula) or Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe).
What are the hours?
12:56 p.m.: Start of broadcasts on France 3 and france.tv(New window).
1:10 p.m.: Fictitious departure
1:40 p.m.: Real departure
5:45 p.m.: Average forecast arrival
