Profile, timetables, to a new van der Poel-Pogacar duel for the recovery? The 11th stage around Toulouse in questions

The peloton, after a day of rest in Toulouse, will remain around the pink city on Wednesday, with a final conducive to the strongest pumping sprinters.

It left for a tour. In the aftermath of the first day of rest in Toulouse, which occurred after ten days of particularly intense racing, the Peloton du Tour de France 2025 resumes the road and will remain around the Haute-Garonne prefecture. Two days after Simon Yates' victory At Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, this 11th stage, Wednesday, July 16, is expected to offer a favorable playground to the best sneakers on the set, with a final ramp eight kilometers from the finish which should propel the strongest towards victory.

What is the profile?

On paper, plain and a lot of dish. The entire 156.8 km of the route was drawn in Haute-Garonne, all around Toulouse, honored since it will be a city of departure and arrival of this 11th stage. The peloton will start north of the Toulouse town, taking the direction of the East, for a loop around the pink city during which five difficulties (three of 4th category and a 3rd category) will be listed for the mountain ranking.

Neither the first small coast, 26 km after departure nor the next three should annoy the sprinters at first. But the last difficulty of the day, the Pech David coast (3rd category, 800 m at 12.4% on average), should be particularly selective. Only the best piloters in the peloton will be able to pass this terrible ramp, placed eight kilometers from the term, whose most severe slope climbs up to 20%.

What favorites?

Inevitably, with such a demanding climb placed in the last ten kilometers, it is impossible not to quote the best puncher on the planet. Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), winner of the 2nd stage and yellow jersey for four days on this 112nd edition of the Grande Boucle, will once again advance as the big favorite. On the other hand, the Dutchman will have to be wary of the ambitions of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates XRG) who had beaten him in Rouen after a breathtaking final.

On the French side, we will find the same men in shape since the departure of Lille with Kévin Vauquelin (Akéa-B & B Hotels), sixth in the general classification, and more beautiful tricolor rating. It will also be necessary to keep an eye on Benjamin Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ), so far subscribed to the places of honor and who wants to shine, or the Pois jersey Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious), very active Monday in the start of the Auvergne stage towards Puy de Sancy.

What hours?

Start of the retransmission: 1 p.m. on France 3 and france.tv
Fictive departure: 1:15 p.m.
Real departure: 1:45 p.m.
Provisional arrival: 5:15 p.m.