The countdown to Tour de France 2025 has officially begun! As cycling’s most prestigious event prepares to captivate fans worldwide, excitement is already building over which teams will dominate the peloton, the dramatic mountain stages, and the unforgettable sprints to the finish line. But whether you’re a seasoned cycling enthusiast or just starting to appreciate the sport, there are ways to make this year’s Tour de France experience even more memorable for you, your friends, and your family.
When and where will the Tour de France take place this year?
The Tour de France starts on Jul 5, 2025 (Saturday) 10:10 am UTC this year. The first stage will be a hilly stage that starts and finishes at Lille, France. The peloton will stay on French soil for the whole Tour this year and cross the finish line at Champs-Élysées on Jul 27, 2025 (Sunday).
What makes the Tour de France this year exciting?
Every edition of the Tour brings something special, and 2025 promises to be no different. Here’s what fans can look forward to this year:
Who will win Tour de France 2025?
Since his first win of the tour in 2020, Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team Emirates XRG has delivered numerous dominant performances in the world of cycling. The reigning World Champion even had quite a 2025 season so far, winning UAE Tour, Strade Bianche, Ronde van Vlaanderen, La Fleche Wallonne, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Criterium du Dauphine, in which he showed on Stage 1 of the race that he can even beat the best sprinters in the world when he has the legs. All of these showed that Tadej has been in very good form this season and made him the most likely winner of this year's tour. The question is whether he can continue such dominance in the 21 days of racing waiting for him in the tour this year, or if his rivals can post challenges to him.
Who are the riders with the biggest chance to dethrone Tadej Pogacar?
1. Jonas Vingegaad (Visma-Lease a bike)
Although it seems that dethroning Tadej will require some miracles, he is accompanied by several major rivals and challengers. His biggest rival, as we all know, would be Jonas Vingegaard. The two-time Tour de France winner had not been successful in defending his title last year due to a crash he had in Paris-Nice that season. However, he is and always has been the biggest rival to Tadej Pogacar. Although he lost to Tadej Pogacar in Criterium du Dauphine this year, and he finished some of the challenging mountain stages with a painful face behind Tadej Pogacar in his smile, Jonas is still the only person who can come close to Pogacar. In this tour, he will be supported by his teammates from Visma-Lease a bike. With past Grand Tour winners like Sepp Kuss and Simon Yates (who made a dramatic comeback to win the Giro d'Italia this year), along with powerful domestiques like Wout van Aert and Matteo Jorgensen, the team this year may have enough firepower to make miracles happen again.
2. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep)
The white jersey winner from last year has pretty much been undefeatable in time trial races since winning the World Championship title in the discipline last year. Yet, he did suffer from a crash earlier this season and does not seem to be in the same level of climbing form as Pogacar and Vingegaard, which is something that we can observe from Criterium du Dauphine this year where he won the leader jersey after the TT stage but lost all the time he gained on his opponent after the mountain stage. He is not likely to be a contender for the yellow jersey this year. However, at the age of 25, he is still eligible to compete for the white jersey and reach the podium.
3. Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)
Winning the Tour de France has always been Primoz's ambition, and he was very close to winning it in the 2020 edition, in which he almost got to wear the Maillot Jaune to Paris if he hadn't lost all his margin to Tadej Pogacar in the second-to-last stage. However, he is also too well known for tending to hit the deck and abandon the race in the Grand Tours since 2020. In the Giro this year, he abandoned the race at Stage 16 after having the 4th crash in that one Giro. There has been a big question mark about how he has recovered from the crash. Even if he is in form, he will need a lot of luck to stay on the bike.
Who are the other riders to watch out for?
With sprinters like Johnathan Milan, Jasper Philipsen, and Biniam Girmay being in the startlist as well, the competition for the Green Jersey will be as fierce as ever. Former World Champion Matthieu van der Poel is likely to be playing the super domestique role for Jasper Philipsen in the faster sprint stages, but who knows if he feels like taking some of the punchier stages for himself?
Geraint Thomas, who was the youngest rider to participate in the Tour back in 2007, will enjoy the final tour as the oldest rider on the start line this year. However, Thomas Pidcock, his former teammate, will not be joining him and the other riders since his new team, Q36.5, is a UCI Pro Team that has not be selected as wild cards this time.
Tips to Make Watching Tour de France 2025 Unforgettable
Watching the Tour is more than just sitting in front of the TV. Here’s how you can maximize the fun and bring the excitement home:
1. Host a Tour de France Party
Invite friends and family over for key stages—think mountain finishes or the iconic sprint into Paris. Decorate your living room with cycling memorabilia, French snacks, and maybe even a mini yellow jersey for the most enthusiastic fan!
2. Join an Online Fan Community
Connect with other fans on social media or cycling forums. Share predictions, celebrate wins, and discuss the tactics of your favorite teams.
3. Make It a Learning Experience
If you have young cyclists in the family, use the Tour as a fun way to teach about geography, teamwork, and perseverance.
4. Bring the Race to Your Tabletop
Why just watch, when you can play? This year, make your Tour de France experience interactive with Tour de Colligo—the board game inspired by the thrill and strategy of cycling’s greatest race.
Introducing Tour de Colligo: The Board Game for Every Cycling Fan
At Colligo Collective, our love for cycling goes beyond the screen. That’s why we created Tour de Colligo, a tabletop board game that lets you experience the excitement, tactics, and camaraderie of a real cycling race—right in your living room.
- Perfect for Watch Parties: Challenge your friends and family to a stage race of your own between live broadcasts.
- Strategy & Surprises: Team up, outsmart rivals, and navigate changing race-day conditions—just like the pros.
- For Everyone: Designed for 3–5 players, ages 8 and up, Tour de Colligo is accessible and fun for all.
Be Part of the Adventure—Sign Up Early!
Tour de Colligo is launching soon on Kickstarter! By joining our mailing list and signing up on Kickstarter now, you’ll get:
- The chance to help shape the game with your feedback
- Priority access to SUPER EARLY BIRD pricing (only 50 sets available!)
- Automatic entry to win one of 5 free game sets
Don’t just watch the race—live it and play it together with Tour de Colligo!
Ready to Make Tour de France 2025 Your Best Yet?
Whether you’re cheering on your favorite rider or racing for the yellow jersey at home, this year’s Tour de France can be your most interactive and enjoyable yet. Gather your team, set your strategy, and let the games begin—on the TV and at your table.
