photo credits @ Le Tour
The final stage in the Pyrenees changed the script, as an early attacker managed to fend off Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG). Already a winner at Hautacam and Peyragudes, the Slovenian leader of the Tour de France 2025 was once again the first of the GC contenders, getting the better of Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) in the final meters of the climb to Superbagnères.
However, he had to settle for second, finishing behind Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers). The Dutch attacker was part of a strong breakaway that emerged on the climb to the Col du Tourmalet. He tamed the Col d’Aspin and attacked his rivals on the ascent of the Col de Peyresourde. After a 37-km solo ride, he was able to celebrate his second Grand Tour stage win, having previously conquered Sierra Nevada at La Vuelta 2022, on a day that saw him be the only early attacker to resist the return of the bigger GC contenders. Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) is now the third man in the overall standings, after Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) retired early in the stage.
Race Highlights
The final stage in the Pyrenees is the most brutal on paper with four major climbs to tackle – Tourmalet, Aspin, Peyresourde, Superbagnères – and 4,950 meters of elevation en route to Superbagnères.
Despite the drizzle falling on the peloton, there were many contenders for the breakaway. The ultra-mountainous profile didn’t particularly suit Jonathan Milan, but the intermediate sprint just before the climb to Tourmalet encouraged him to attack.
The Italian rider didn’t succeed, nor did the very active Valentin Madouas, Fred Wright, Michael Woods and Bruno Armirail, whose moves are systematically reeled in by Visma-Lease a Bike and by Lidl-Trek, who took control of the race.
The American team controlled the bunch for Milan, who rushed for the 20 points in the sprint. But behind them, their Danish climber Mattias Skjelmose had already suffered a heavy fall at km 53 and was forced to withdraw.
The first slopes of the Tourmalet climb immediately eliminated the sprinters, and much more surprisingly Remco Evenepoel, who is among the first to get dropped under the pace set by UAE Team Emirates-XRG at the head of the Yellow Jersey group.
Meanwhile, an attack developed 15 kilometers from the summit in two stages. First, a group consisting of Rubio, Muhlberger (Movistar), Martinez (Bahrain Victorious), Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers), V. Paret-Peintre (Soudal-Quick Step), O’Connor (Jayco-AlUla), Healy (EF Education Easypost) and Johannessen (Uno-X) got away, followed by a counter-attack from Kuss, S. Yates (Visma-Lease a Bike), Ca. Rodriguez (Ineos Grenadiers), Vlasov (RedBull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Verstrynge (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Storer (Tudor), Costiou (Arkéa-B&B), Mas, Castrillo (Movistar), Higuita (XDS Astana), Jegat (TotalEnergies) and Woods (Israel-Premier Tech).
From there, the polka dot jersey went solo for the last 6 kilometers of ascent, opening up a gap of 1’45’’ over his closest pursuers and 3’30’ over the yellow jersey peloton.
Despite losing half his advantage on the descent following the Tourmalet, the polka dot jersey was still on his own over the top of the second climb, Col d’Aspin. But Kuss and V. Paret-Peintre caught him at the bottom of the descent to Arreau.
In the meantime, the group of chasers came back together on the Col de Peyresourde, with Arensman attacking 4.5 kilometers from the summit.
The Dutchman later crossed the Col de Peyresourde with a 1’20’’ lead over his closest rivals, including Martinez, who secured the polka dot jersey by taking second place, and 3’30’ over the Yellow Jersey group, which began its chase under the impetus of UAE Team Emirates-XRG.
Entering the final climb, the Ineos Grenadiers rider kept his hopes alive with a 2’15‘’ lead over the chase and 3’05’’ over the yellow jersey group, with Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) the first of the GC contenders to attack with 8 km to go, followed by Vingegaard who set off 4 km later.
Vingegaard and Pogacar traded a few attacks until the Slovenian got the better of his Danish rival in the final stretch, opening a gap of 4’’ on the line.
However, back up front, Arensman had already crossed the finish a minute earlier to claim his maiden Tour victory.
Fifth on the day, was Lipowitz, who took the white jersey as well as the third place in the overall standings left vacant by Evenepoel.
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