With just two days to go until the grand finale in Paris, the opportunities to shine in the Tour de France 2025 are becoming increasingly limited. Ben O’Connor seized his chance on the Col de La Loze; baroudeurs eagerly await their moment en route to Pontarlier on Saturday; and we have yet to see whether the scales will tip towards the sprinters or the punchers in Paris. Before that, Friday brings the last high summits of the Tour for climbers and GC contenders willing to go all-in, aiming for the summit finish at La Plagne - an altitude of 2,052 metres to be reached after a 19.1-km ascent at 7.2%.
For attackers with the skill set of Michael Storer, it's the final opportunity to snatch a win in this Tour. Simon Yates in Le Mont-Dore, Thymen Arensman at Superbagnères, Valentin Paret-Peintre on Mont Ventoux, and Ben O’Connor on the Col de La Loze have defied pre-established assumptions that the mountain stages would be swept by the leaders of the general classification - especially Tadej Pogacar. Expect yet another furious battle as riders try to get a head start on the brutal climbs of the day.
Naturally, the attackers’ fate will depend on both their legs and the tactics at play in the peloton, especially from Visma-Lease a Bike and UAE Team Emirates-XRG. They are the dominant forces in the Tour, yet O’Connor brilliantly found an opening by taking them head-on in the valley leading to the Col de La Loze. But the fight for the GC goes far beyond the two duellists, especially after the Col de La Loze reshuffled the deck. Florian Lipowitz still holds the white jersey and third place in the overall standings, but his rivals are hot on his heels, starting with Oscar Onley. It’s time for them to seize their last opportunities to change the script.
