Stage 11 could swing either way as Tour returns in Toulouse

The 2025 Tour de France has delivered from the opening day, and Wednesday’s 154-km Stage 11 in and around Toulouse may keep the tension high.

The profile is officially “flat,” but the route features five categorized climbs – four in the first 50 km and one inside the final 10. It’s the kind of terrain that could deter pure sprinters and entice puncheurs or breakaway specialists to take their chances.

Ireland’s Ben Healy, will start in yellow after a bold move on Stage 10 vaulted him ahead of three-time champion Tadej Pogačar by more than three minutes. Simon Yates took the stage win, but it was Healy who stole headlines heading into Tuesday’s rest day. Healy (EF – Education First) is the first Irishman to wear the yellow jersey in almost 40 years.

The last one was Stephen Roche in 1987. That was the same year he took cycling’s triple crown. He won the Giro d’Italia, the Tour de France the the road worlds. In 2024, Pogi became only the third male rider to do that, with Eddy Merckx being the first.

Wednesday’s stage starts and finishes in Toulouse. It loops through the surrounding hills before a final circuit that includes a sharp ascent up the Côte de Pech David. That ramp is around 800 m at 12.4 per cent, with just nine km to go. The final six km are flat. So that means it could allow sprinters back into contention if they survive the punchy finale.

Kaden Groves (Alpecin–Deceuninck), Tim Merlier (Soudal–Quick-Step), Jonathan Milan (Lidl–Trek), Biniam Girmay (Intermarché–Wanty) and Arnaud De Lie (Lotto) will hope for a bunch finish.

But don’t discount riders like Wout van Aert or Julian Alaphilippe. It would be nice to see either the Belgian or Frenchman take a stage, tbh.

You can catch the action on Flobikes.com, and be sure to check back here on Canadian Cycling Magazine for a full report with photos after.