- The fiftieth anniversary of the Tour de France's maiden final finish on the Champs-Elysées promises to be an exceptional event, taking the peloton to Montmartre in the wake of the Olympic riders who thrilled crowds on Rue Lepic and the steps of the Sacré-Cœur in August 2024.
- The sprinters will not necessarily be excluded from the battle for victory in this 21st stage, but they could see their majestic stage on the Champs-Elysées taken over by the Spring classics specialists.
- This extraordinary finale was made possible thanks to the support of the President of the Republic, the Mayor of Paris, the Minister for Sport and the assistance of the Prefecture of Police, which is embarking on this adventure with Parisian youngsters with two dates for the Dictée du Tour on 19 June and 27 July for the final spectacle.
1975-2023: THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FOR SPRINTING
After the Parc des Princes and the Cipale Velodrome, the world's greatest race found a setting worthy of its finale and the celebration of its champions in 1975. Walter Godefroot was the first to win there, while Bernard Thévenet completed his first Tour victory, ending Eddy Merckx's reign. And while Bernard Hinault raised his arms in victory twice (1979, 1982), the Champs-Elysées has become the temple of sprinters: winning on the most beautiful avenue in the world is the ultimate achievement for riders in the final sprint. And it is naturally the greatest of them all, Mark Cavendish, who holds the record with four Parisian victories (2009-10-11-12).
THE BUTTE MONTMARTRE: NOT A CLASSIC... BUT ALMOST
The Tour de France has only once strayed from the capital when the 111th edition finished in Nice. Still, Parisians were not deprived of cycling action in the summer of 2024, as they had the privilege of attending two Olympic Road races whose route took the women's and men's pelotons to the Butte Montmartre. The organisers were inspired by this route, which attracted more than 500,000 spectators last August. As a result, the traditional final circuit has been modified to include three ascents to the highest point in Paris. The climb up Rue Lepic and the visit to the Sacré-Cœur forecourt will likely shake up the usual scenario and transform the 21st stage into a prestigious classic with an exceptional character. There will only be 6 kilometres remaining when the riders tackle the 68th and final classified climb of the 2025 Tour de France: a burst of power that could give a few seconds to an attacker and prove decisive.
This final stage, which will not include the caravan, requires a significant deployment of security and emergency services to ensure the race proceeds in optimal conditions: measures will be put in place that will affect traffic and flow management, given the challenges of ensuring the safety of people and property, which will have an impact on residents, businesses and commercial activity for a few days. In some respects, the measures will be similar to those introduced for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Paris City Council, the organiser and the police prefecture will present these plans and measures to residents and economic stakeholders.
It is worth reiterating that exceptional events call for extraordinary measures.
BIKES AND PENS FOR THE CHILDREN OF PARIS
This exceptional finish in Paris is a new opportunity to raise awareness among residents, especially young people, about cycling in a city that has again received the highest distinction of the "Tour de France Cycle City" label. Today, the city has more than 1,500 kilometres of bike lanes thanks to a very ambitious policy implemented in 2014. Since 2021, €250 million has been invested. Thanks to this infrastructure, cycling has surpassed automobiles as the most popular mode of transport for Parisians. Developing soft mobility is a significant challenge in the fight against global warming.
The Dictée du Tour is scheduled for 19 June 2025 for 2,000 Parisian schoolchildren. Among them, 150 will be hosted at the Paris City Hall to work on a news article read by Christian Prudhomme. Beforehand, they will be treated to a short bike ride, escorted by the Tour Director's number 1 red car. On the same day, activities will be organised on the banks of the Seine River to introduce young visitors to cycling.
On 27 July, 50 young Parisians who are members of the capital's cycling clubs will parade in front of the Tour de France riders wearing yellow Tour de France T-shirts before watching the caravan and riders pass by from a grandstand erected especially for them.
