Crossing three beastly climbs, this might just be the toughest task of the entire Tour. The route climbs at shallow gradients from the start in Vif, and just before moving through Allemont — around 30 kilometres in — a flat section precedes the begin of a climbing bonanza that will last until the end.
Up first is the Col du Glandon, a 21.7-kilometre climb with an average gradient of 5.1%, but with numerous sections at double digits.
The route reaches its halfway mark back in the valley. But there’s no time to dilly-dally; it goes straight back up again. This time, the riders take on the Col de la Madeleine, which is a bit shorter but overall significantly steeper – 19.2 kilometres long, averaging 7.9%.
After a rapid descent of around 30 kilometres, the route flattens out for about 15 kilometres. But as the riders pass through Brides-les-Bains, the gradient goes up again. The Col de la Loze is a monster of a climb, stretching 26.2 kilometres with an average gradient of 6.5%. But that’s not what makes the ascent so challenging; the Loze has some extremely steep sections. The fifth kilometre before the summit climbs at 11%, and with just over 2 kilometres to go, the gradient hovers around 10%.
The Col de la Loze made its Tour debut in 2020, when Miguel Ángel López won after a thrilling finale, finishing 15 seconds ahead of Primoz Roglic with Tadej Pogacar another 15 seconds further behind. The climb returned two years ago, and Felix Gall took the win from the break that day, while Jonas Vingegaard secured the overall victory.
Both in 2020 and 2023, the riders tackled the Loze from a different side. This time, it looks a little less brutal – on paper.
Tour de France 2025, stage 18: route, profiles, videos
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