Pedalling Progress: The Tour De France Femmes!
The Tour de France Femmes will return for the fourth time, increasing from eight stages to nine in 2025. Starting on the 26th July, the penultimate day of the Tour de France, the 723 mile tour will begin in Brittany and finish at the Col de la Madeleine after two treacherous mountain stages and an 11.5 mile climb with an average gradient of 8.1%.
The past winners of the Tour de France Femmes are:
- 2024 – Poland’s Katarzyna Niewaidoma
- 2023 – Demi Vollering
- 2022 – Annemiek van Vleuten
The Route Overview
This incredible race will kick-start at the Clermont-Ferrand, the first city in the Tour De France Femmes Avec Zwift on two occasions after hosting the Grand Depart in 2023. Three daring mountain ranges will split the race including the Armorican Massif, the Massif Central and the Alps.
“Five stages will take place entirely within a single department: the 1st (Morbihan), 2nd (Finistere), 6th (Puy-de-Dome), 8th (Savoie) and 9th (haute-Savoie).”
Consisting of nine gruelling stages through stunning France landscapes, there will be two flat sections, two medium mountain stages, two high mountain stages and three stages over undulating hills.
The peloton will race across a staggering fifteen French counties: Morbihan, Finistere, Ille-et-Vilaine, Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire, Indre-et-Loire, Vienne, Indtre, Haute-Vienne, Creuse, Puy-de-Dome, Ain, Isere, Savoie and Haute-Savoie. Four additional regions will await the cyclists including Bretagne, Pays de la Loire, Nouvelle Aquitaine, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes.
22 teams will compete for the yellow jersey with seven racers in each team. Each rider will cycle across a record high distance of 1,165km this fourth edition and a total elevation gain of 17,240 metres, and finally conquering the formidable Col de la Madeleine which is the highest point of the 2025 course at stage eight at 2,00metres high.
L’Etape Du Tour De France Femmes
The Etape du Tour Femmes 2025 will be held on the 2nd August across the iconic Chambery and finishing at the Col de Madeleine at Saint-Francois-Longchamp.
There is a choice of two routes for the Femmes edition this year, starting and finishing at the same destinations: a section of the professional route across 112km with 3490m elevation gain and a 100km option with less elevation at 2950m. Both the Etape du Tour men’s edition and the women’s edition can be entered by either men or women.
Why you should attend
The Etape du Tour Femmes offers a unique experience for amateur cyclists to get involved in the thrill of riding on the Tour de France stage on a section of the Tour de France Femmes race route. Take the opportunity to be part of this historic race, the pinnacle of amateur women’s cycling! The race offers breathtaking scenery, a chance to push limits, and unforgettable memories! Participating also supports the growth of women’s cycling, helping to increase visibility and recognition for the sport.
History of the Tour De France Femmes
The original women’s Tour De France races were held from 1984 – 1989 and the very first of these was won by American Marianne Martin. Since it ended in 1989, the women’s peloton had not been included as part of the official Tour De France for the past 30 years. The 2024 edition of the race saw the closest finish in Tour de France history with an astounding four second margin following the final chase up l’Alpe d’Huez!
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