There have been reports about the planned final stage of the Tour de France 2025 for a long time - until now, the authorities have been reluctant to authorise it. Now it's official: the Tour de France 2025 will end with an extraordinary final stage in Paris. To mark the 50th anniversary of the first finish on the Champs-Élysées, the organisers have planned a special route through the French capital. For the first time in the history of the Tour, the peloton will climb Montmartre and pass beneath the Sacré-Cœur. The route is based on the course of the Olympic road race, which attracted over 500,000 spectators to the route in August 2024.
Historical significance of the final stage
The introduction of the finish line on the Champs-Élysées in 1975 marked a turning point in the history of the Tour de France. Previously, the race had finished in the Parc des Princes or on the Vélodrome de Vincennes cycling track. With the move to the magnificent avenue in the heart of Paris, the biggest cycling race in the world finally found a worthy stage for its grand finale and the honouring of the winners. At the same time, the mountain jersey and the white jersey for the best young rider were introduced in 1975, further emphasising the importance of this year for the Tour de France. The disadvantage from the TV broadcaster's point of view: only the final minutes or seconds promise excitement from a sporting point of view. This year will be very different.
Tour de France 2025 via Montmartre
The route for the final stage in 2025 promises to be particularly spectacular. Montmartre in the 18th arrondissement of Paris is not only popular with tourists, but also represents a challenge for cyclists. The climb to the Sacré-Cœur could shake up the race once again and make for exciting attacks. After the passage under the famous basilica, the race heads back to the centre, where the winner will be crowned. While the last stage of the Tour de France usually only means hard work for the sprinters, this course will be exhausting for everyone. This is not only due to the metres in altitude, but also the narrow roads. At the Tour de France 2024, 141 riders reached the finish line in Paris - that's significantly more than at the Olympic Games in Paris. In the men's Olympic road race, 90 riders started and 77 finished. So it will be much tighter on the roads.
Based on the Olympic road race
The organisers have based their route planning on the course of the Olympic road race which was extremely successful in the media. Both the women's race and the men's race went over the hills of Montmartre. The event attracted around half a million spectators and created a unique atmosphere in the city. By incorporating elements of this route into the Tour stage, the organisers hope to build on this success and offer cycling fans another highlight. The television pictures of the enthusiastic fans at the roadside were the Atmospheric highlight of the games in Paris. There was a stadium atmosphere in front of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. The final stage of the Tour de France 2025 once again promises global TV coverage with positive images.
Authorities authorise stage for Tour de France 2025
The City of Paris, the Prefecture of Police and the organisers of the Tour de France are working closely together to realise this special stage. Their common goal is to organise a truly unique event that meets both the sporting demands of the Tour de France and the logistical challenges of a major city like Paris. The detailed route will be presented at a press conference on 21 May.
Kristian Bauer
Editor
