Already a stage winner at Hautacam, Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers) doubled up with a second stage win, this time at La Plagne. The Dutchman attacked with 13 kilometres to go on the final HC climb of the Tour de France 2025. At the summit, he narrowly resisted Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), who crossed the line only 2 seconds behind the winner. Right behind them, Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) defended his white jersey and his spot on the GC podium against Oscar Onley (Picnic PostNL). With just two stages to go, Tadej Pogacar takes his 52nd Maillot Jaune. He matches Jacques Anquetil’s record and enters the top-5 for most days leading the overall standings of the Tour.
It’s time for the final mountain stage of the Tour 2025. Due to the change of course, a 161-man peloton will head to Beaufort, where they will rejoin the original route, heading to La Plagne. The stage will thus cover a total distance of 93.1 km instead of the originally planned 129,9 km.
Roglic, Paret-Peintre and Martinez lead the way
A sequence exactly similar to the previous day begins with Lidl-Trek riders taking control of the peloton, en route to the intermediate sprint at Villard-sur-Doron (km 12.1). Clad with his green jersey, Jonathan Milan is first on the line.
The climb to the Col du Pré comes up next and after several attacks, two groups form at the front of the race. A trio eventually emerges with Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious), Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal-Quick Step), who cross the pass in that order before launching their assault on the Cormet de Roselend.
Roglic sets off
Once again, Martinez goes first at the summit. In the peloton, Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X Mobility) sets the pace to distance Kevin Vauquelin (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), who was distanced over the top of Col du Pré. At Cormet de Roselend, the GC group are 50’’ behind the leaders while the French man trails by 1’50’’.
Roglic distances the two French climbers on the downhill. Back on the valley, Paret-Peintre and Martinez are reeled in by the bunch, led by Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), with 32 km to go. The Belgian all-rounder then bridges the gap to Roglic 2 kilometres away from the start of the final major climb of the Tour 2025: 19.1km at 7.2% to reach the finish line at La Plagne.
The last major summit
Roglic is dropped early on the ascent, which incites Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale to up the ante as Felix Gall can take the 5th place in the overall standings.
With 14 kilometres to go, Tadej Pogacar launches an attack that scatters the group. Only Jonas Vingegaard manages to stay on his wheel, but the duo is joined by Arensman. The Dutchman takes a gamble and drops them with 13 kilometres to go. Three kilometres further on, a group reforms around Pogacar and Vingegaard, with Gall, Oscar Onley (Picnic PostNL), Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, Tobias Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility) and Ben Healy, while Arensman tries to keep his hopes alive with a 30’’ lead.
The gap is still up to 20’’ into the last 3 kilometres and Onley shows some signs of weakness. Lipowitz accelerates, Arensman is in sight… But he resists and takes the win 2 seconds ahead of Vingegaard and Pogacar.
