Race hard, play hard. The first eleven days of the Tour 2025 brought exhilarating racing… on the flat, with some hills to spice the thrilling battles led by Ben Healy, Mathieu Van der Poel, Tadej Pogacar et al. As of Thursday and stage 12, nothing will be the same. Fresh off a stunning assault on Toulouse, the riders enter the Pyrenees, where they’ll spend three key days over gruelling slopes as they chase the highest prizes of the Tour de France.
The first rendezvous is familiar - starting from Auch, the peloton will tackle Col du Soulor, Col des Bordères, and, most notably, the ascent to Hautacam: 13.5 kilometres at 7.8% to go past one’s own limitations and inflict pain on their rivals. Only three years ago, Jonas Vingegaard crushed Pogacar on these very slopes, with the essential support of Wout Van Aert, who started the Tour piano piano but showed on Wednesday just how much fuel he has in the tank.
Since the route of the Tour was presented last Autumn, the return to Hautacam has been the stuff of many fantasies. Will the Danish climber deal another decisive blow to his Slovenian arch-rival? Will Pogacar enjoy a sweet revenge? The defending champion appeared to be the favourite but, so far, he hasn’t distanced Vingegaard on the road during this Tour de France, building his advantage with the time-trial and time bonuses. And on Wednesday, he hit the deck in a high-speed crash. The incident didn’t see him lose any time, as Pogacar’s rivals decided not to seize this opportunity to gain time on a man down. But in the Pyrenees, nobody will wait for anyone.
