Tour de France 2025 Favourites stage 21: Heroes on the Champs-Élysées

Champs-Élysées is French for Elysian Fields. So, the street name is a nod to Elysium from Greek mythology, the final resting place of heroic souls. A fitting spot to end the greatest bike race on earth.

For years, the Paris finale followed a familiar script. But with the new closing circuit including the cobbled climb near the Sacré-Cœur, the last stage into the capital now presents a whole new set of dynamics. The 1.1-kilometre climb at 5.9% features three times, with the final passage coming just 6.1 kilometres from the line. Known as the Côte de la Butte Montmartre, it’s part of a newly designed 16.7-kilometre finishing loop, although the stage still ends, as tradition dictates, on the Champs-Élysées.

The same cobbled climb featured in last year’s Olympic road race. Van der Poel was the favourite for gold, but the Belgians played the numbers game to perfection. The Dutchman launched his first attack on the climb, only for Evenepoel to counter once they crested the top. From that point on, every time Van der Poel tried to close the gap, Van Aert was on his wheel like glue.

The Belgians had the numbers then, but that won’t be the case this time, as we are riding with regular trade teams. What’s more, the dynamics of a Tour stage are a world apart from those of a one-day race like the Olympics. That said, the world’s best riders giving it one last go on the cobbled climb before a sprint finish from a small group… wouldn’t that be sweet?

Favourites 21st stage 2025 Tour de France

*** Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, Kévin Vauquelin
** Arnaud De Lie, Julian Alaphilippe, Tadej Pogacar
* Magnus Cort, Kaden Groves, Jake Stewart, Søren Wærenskjold

Another interesting read: route 21st stage 2025 Tour de France.

Tour de France 2025, stage 21: routes & profiles

Click on the images to zoom

profile

profile

finale route

finale profile