Seven questions about the 4th edition of La Grande Boucle

The Tour de France women will take place from July 26 to August 3 and will travel France from West to East.

A fourth intense edition. The 2025 women's Tour de France will start, Saturday July 26, in Vannes And will end in the mountains of the Alps, in Châtel, Sunday August 3 after 1,165 Km of racing, a record in the history of the big female loop. Course, novelty, favorites … Franceinfo: Sport sums up for you, the information to know before the big departure of this 4th edition.

Who are the favorites?

And remake from last year? Half Vollering (FDJ-Suez) and Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon-Sram) are among the favorites. The Dutchman, titled during the 2nd edition, in 2023 and which nevertheless won the last stage in 2024, will want to take revenge on her Polish opponent, who won the Tour last year for 4 small seconds.

However, it will not be necessary to underestimate Lotte Kopecky (SD World-Protime), double world champion on the reigning road, which should also appear at the top of the general classification. The Belgian, second in the general classification in 2023, will however have to show that she is in good shape after her abandonment on the Giro, on July 10, due to pain at the bottom of the back.

What are the French chances?

Finally a Frenchwoman on the podium in the general classification? Pauline Ferrand -Prévot (Visma – Lease A Bike) will have a card to play in this Tour de France, especially during the two rugged stages, favorable to her Plucheuse profile. The Olympic mountain bike champion in 2024, and victorious during Paris-Roubaix in April, aspires to play the leading roles, as she explained on Wednesday at a press conference. “”The tour is the main goal of my season. I wanted to be 100% ready and we are there. I feel good, happy to be there, finally!“

Faced with her, other French women could also illustrate. Juliette Labous (FDJ -Suez) – 5th in the general classification in 2023 – and his team by training Evita Muzic – 4th in 2024 – could be tempted to win a stage. But they should not claim a place in the top 5 in the general classification, since their primary mission will be to help their half -vollering teammate to win a second coronation on the big loop. Cédrine Kerbaol (EF Education – Oatly), best young in 2023, will also be ambitious during this fourth edition.

What innovations?

And one more step! Unlike previous years, the Tour de France will be carried out in nine stages and not eight. In total, three stages of dish will be on the program, as well as mountain stages, while a stage will be carried out in the middle mountain and two others on an uneven route. A program and an addition of a step that promises a course “terrible” et “historical”, assured the director of the Marion Rousse test two months ago.

Where will the 4th edition go from?

For the first time in its history, the Tour de France female will go to Brittany, the land of legend of French cycling, where Bernard Hinault lived, notably lived, Jacques Anquetil or Jean Robic. It is also in this region that the 154 runners of the peloton will start their journey, with a rugged first step in the heart of Morbihan, between Vannes and Plumelec. This step, the shortest of the edition with a route of only 78.8 km, a “been designed to energize the race“Explains the director of the race, Marion Rousse.

What will be the profile?

A edition cut in half. As during the Tour de France men 2025, the large female loop will be carried out in two parts. The first four steps will actually be favorable to profiles of sprinters or punchers, while the second part of the edition should see climbers win.

The 5th stage will be the longest of this fourth edition. Between Chasseneuil du Poitou -Futuroscopre and Guéret, the runners will cross four departments – Vienne, Indre, Haute -Vienne and La Creuse – through a 165.8 km route in the middle mountains.

🤩 The official route of the #TDFF2025 with @GoZwift!

🤩 Here is the official course of #TDFF2025 With Zwift!

#WatchTheFemmes pic.twitter.com/DzmXlWY11r

– The Tour de France Women with Zwift (@LEtourfemmes) October 29, 2024

What will be the queen stage?

It should not be missed on the 8th day of racing, Saturday August 2. At the dawn of the last stage, the peloton will actually take the start of Chambéry to travel 111.9 km and finish at the top of the Madeleine pass (18.6 km at 8.1%), first ascent outside the publishing category, located 2 000 meters above sea level. This step, which will have 3,490 m of elevation gain, should undermine the thighs of the runners.

On what channels to look at the turn?

As for the first three editions, the Tour de France women 2025 will be broadcast in full on France Television (France 2 and France 3) as well as on France.TV. Find here the detailed TV program of this 4th edition.