- Stage city for the 77th time
- Prefecture of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64)
- Population: 77,600 (Palois and Paloises); 162,000 within the 32 communes comprising the Pau Béarn Pyrénées municipality
Tadej Pogačar has become something of a master of stage starts in Pau. In 2020, he took his first stage victory in Laruns and then in 2021 he confirmed his undisputed domination of that edition with victory in Luz-Ardiden. When the race returned to Laruns in 2023, Jai Hindley came to the fore by winning the stage and taking the lead in the overall classification, while the Slovenian champion suffered his first setback in his duel with Jonas Vingegaard. In 2025, “Pogi” looked well set to conquer Superbagnères, but Thymen Arensman held on to win at the summit after going clear from the breakaway group.
