Tour de France 2025 Favourites stage 16: Dominating Ventoux

foto: Cor VosThe race to Mont Ventoux is a mythical and this year also a fairly straightforward challenge. It all comes down to the final climb, where a breakaway rider is expected to dominate. (Slideshow route/profile)

This year’s Ventoux stage is typical of many at La Vuelta. A quiet day spent rolling over mostly flat terrain, before everything is turned on its head by a brutal climb to the finish.

The riders tackle Mont Ventoux from Bédoin, which is the classic — and toughest — side. For the first 10 kilometres, they are sheltered by the forest, but at the same time the average gradient in the first 8 kilometres is a hefty 9.2%. In the 2 kilometres before Chalet Reynard, it eases off to 7.5%, and after passing the former refuge, the easiest kilometre begins (5.5%). But this also marks the start of the exposed section of Ventoux, meaning the wind has free rein from here on. After the 5.5% kilometre, the climb averages just under 8% for 3 kilometres, and in the final 1.7 kilometres, Mont Ventoux serves up an average gradient of 9.4%.

With such a flat approach, the race is easy to control. Which can go two ways. The teams of the GC teams let a group of riders who pose no threat to them get away to fight it out for the stage win. Or they keep the attackers on a leash so that the battle on Ventoux will be between the yellow jersey contenders. We’re leaning towards the first scenario.

Favourites 16th stage 2025 Tour de France

*** Sepp Kuss, Santiago Buitrago, Thymen Arensman
** Michael Woods, Michael Storer, Lenny Martinez, Simon Yates
* Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Adam Yates, Matteo Jorgenson

Another interesting read: route 16th stage 2025 Tour de France.