Tour de France 2025 Round-Up

Triumphs, Drama & Surprises - A race to remember!

The 112th edition of the Tour de France (5–27 July 2025) delivered everything cycling fans hoped for: spectacular battles, unexpected twists, and memorable performances across its 3,320 km, entirely within France for the first time in five years.

Let's look back at the highlights, key winners, and dramatic moments from an unforgettable race.

🟡 General Classification (GC): Pogačar Reigns Supreme

As predicted, the battle for yellow quickly became a showdown between Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma–Lease a Bike). Despite Vingegaard’s determined resistance, particularly in the Pyrenean stages and the relentless Col de la Loze, Pogačar was untouchable. His victories on Stage 4, the mountain ITT at Peyragudes (Stage 13), and the decisive attack on Mont Ventoux (Stage 16) secured him an unassailable advantage.

The 26-year-old Slovenian sealed four stage wins and his fourth overall Tour victory, finishing 4 minutes and 24 seconds ahead of Vingegaard. 

Meanwhile, young German talent Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe) delivered an impressive third place, marking Germany’s return to the GC podium for the first time in 19 years.

🟢 Points Classification: Milan’s Surprise Green Jersey

The sprint battles surprised everyone. While our preview highlighted Jasper Philipsen and Biniam Girmay as likely green jersey contenders, it was Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) who clinched the points classification.

Philipsen took the green and yellow jersey after Stage 1 victory, but crashed heavily during the intermediate sprint in Stage 3, suffering a displaced collarbone fracture and multiple broken ribs.

Afterwards, Milan fought to consistently pick up crucial intermediate points and secured two spectacular stage wins, Girmay to secure green.

🔴⚪ Mountains Classification: Pogačar Dominates Again

In an impressive display rarely seen at the Tour, Tadej Pogačar didn’t just win yellow but also comfortably captured the King of the Mountains polka-dot jersey. Pogačar’s dominance was highlighted by his multiple KOM segment wins, notably setting a new Strava record on Mont Ventoux (Stage 16) with a time of 53:47 during the 20.7 km climb. Behind him, Vingegaard and Martinez stayed close—but couldn’t match his consistency across the mountainous terrain. Martinez briefly led the competition mid-race before Pogačar pulled away.

⚪ Best Young Rider: Breakthrough for Lipowitz

In addition to his GC podium, Florian Lipowitz comfortably secured the white jersey as Best Young Rider. His performance throughout the race was characterized by maturity and climbing strength, marking him as a future Tour de France contender. Notably, Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) and Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ) also showed potential, but Ayuso had to retire on stage 9 after a heavy crash on stage 7, and Martinez couldn’t match Lipowitz’s consistency and form over three demanding weeks.

🏅 Team Classification: Visma–Lease a Bike Prevails

Though missing out on the individual victory, Visma–Lease a Bike won the Team Classification thanks to consistently strong performances from Vingegaard, Wout van Aert, and their impressive supporting cast. UAE Team Emirates and Ineos Grenadiers finished second and third, reflecting their depth and teamwork.

🇩🇪 German Riders

Beyond Lipowitz’s outstanding performance, other German riders made their mark. Lennard Kämna (Jayco-AlUla) animated the race with bold breakaways, coming close to a stage victory in the Pyrenees, while Nils Politt (Bahrain Victorious) put in solid work on challenging intermediate stages. Sprinter Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates) was consistent but narrowly missed out on a stage win, placing second twice in high-speed finishes. Veteran Simon Geschke (Cofidis) again demonstrated his invaluable experience, frequently seen supporting teammates in mountain breakaways.

🏔️ Stages We’ll Remember

• Stage 13 Loudenvielle–Peyragudes: Pogačar’s dominant uphill time trial.
  
• Stage 16 Mont Ventoux: Return of the iconic climb saw fierce attacks and decisive GC moves.
  
• Stage 18 Col de la Loze: The Tour’s queen stage, marked by intense drama and tough conditions, further consolidating Pogačar’s lead.
• Stage 21 Paris Finale: The ultimate sprint showdown on the Champs‑Élysées was won by Wout van Aert (Visma – Lease a Bike), whose impressive final sprint left Pogačar unable to finish the tour with a final stage win. 

🌱 Sustainability Success

We also want to note that the tour also saw a victory for ASO’s sustainability initiative, which was debuted successfully with electric neutral-service vehicles and carbon-offset programs, setting a positive precedent for future editions.

🎉 Tour de France Femmes 2025

As the men’s Tour concluded, excitement began for the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, starting on 26 July and running until 3 August 2025. This fourth edition is the longest yet, covering 1,165 km and 17,240 m of climbing across nine stages from Brittany to the Alps.

Stages So Far

• Stage 1: Flat opener won by Lorena Wiebes, who claimed the first yellow jersey.
• Stage 2: Rolling terrain allowed for late attacks—Maëva Squiban snatched the stage and overall lead in dramatic fashion.
• Stage 3: Moderate climbs led to a reduced sprint finish; Marta Cavalli crossed the line first.
• Stage 4: Alpine foothills saw Marlen Reusser win solo on a short summit finish.
• Stage 5: African rider Kim Le Court made history becoming the first African woman to win a stage and wear yellow.
• Stage 6: French favourite Maëva Squiban impressed with a courageous solo victory.

The remaining stages will take the race into the high Alps, with iconic finishes on Col de la Madeleine and Joux Plane en route to Châtel.

🔸 What Lies Ahead: Vuelta a España 2025

From 23 August to 14 September 2025, the Vuelta a España begins—offering another Grand Tour with balanced time trials, steep mountain terrain, and breakaway opportunities. Tadej Pogačar has officially announced he will not compete, deciding instead to focus on rest and preparations for Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec and Montréal in September before defending his World Championship title in Rwanda 21st to 28th September. 

In his absence, UAE Team Emirates will field Juan Ayuso and João Almeida as joint GC leaders—Ayuso racing on home roads and Almeida aiming to bounce back from his Tour withdrawal. 

🎯 Final Thoughts

True to form, the 2025 Tour de France lived up to every expectation from our preview—delivering drama, incredible feats, and unforgettable moments. With excitement turning immediately to the women's edition, stay tuned to DACHS Blog for continuing coverage and insights into the thrilling world of professional cycling.

Allez!