The riders face only one real obstacle, although ‘obstacle’ might be too strong a word. Like in the opening stage, the peloton tackles the hill in the town of Cassel, only this time from the opposite side. The Côte de Cassel is 2.3 kilometres long and the average gradient sits 4.5%.
Cassel is situated just over 30 kilometres from the finish in Dunkirk, and that last part of the route is completely flat. Crosswinds could play a role, but the terrain certainly favours a bunch sprint.
The Tour last visited Dunkirk in 2022. That year, the 4th stage went from the port city in northern France to Calais, where a phenomenal Wout van Aert claimed victory with a late attack. For the last finish in Dunkirk itself, you’d have to go all the way back to 2001. The town hosted the Grand Départ that year, with a prologue that saw Christophe Moreau take the first yellow jersey.
Tour de France 2025, stage 3: routes, profiles, videos
Click on the images to zoom
