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
Related articles More articles Tour Down Under 2025 Route stage 5: McLaren Vale - Willunga Hill
Tour Down Under 2025: Riders
Tour Down Under 2025 Route stage 6: Adelaide - Adelaide
Cycling Calendar 2025
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 1: Lille - Lille
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 2: Lauwin-Planque - Boulogne-sur-Mer
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 7: Saint-Malo - Mûr-de-Bretagne
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 10: Ennezat - Le Mont-Dore
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 12: Auch - Hautacam
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 13: Loudenvielle - Peyragudes
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 14: Pau - Superbagnères
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 15: Muret - Carcassonne
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 16: Montpellier - Mont Ventoux
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 18: Vif - Col de la Loze
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 19: Albertville - La Plagne
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 20: Nantua - Pontarlier
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 21: Mantes-la-Ville - Paris
Giro 2025: The Route
Giro 2025 Route stage 1: Durazzo - Tirana
Giro 2025 Route stage 9: Gubbio - Siena
Giro 2025 Route stage 20: Verrès – Sestrière
Tour de France Femmes 2025 Route stage 1: Vannes - Plumelec
Vuelta 2025: The Route
Vuelta 2025 Route stage 1: Turin – Novara