The Tour de France may be three weeks long, but the time differences in the general classification often come as a result of a selection of climbs that decide the outcome of the race. Thanks to famous battles between the key protagonists, the climbs can become steeped in cycling folklore when the Tour peloton passes through. Unlike other sports with fixed homes like Camp Nou or Wimbledon, the climbs of the Tour de France are some of cycling’s most legendary stadia.
In 2025, the Tour visits some of sport’s most iconic amphitheatres like the Tourmalet and the Ventoux, but also visits some ascents that have not been raced as often, like Superbagnères and La Plagne. From 800m ramps to 26km behemoths, the 2025 route has 68 classified climbs; there are only two stages without some form of categorised ascent. We take a look at some of the key climbs of the 2025 race.
Côte de Saint Étienne au Mont – stage two
The Tour’s challenging parcours starts early on as stage two features three punchy ascents in the final 10km — the first of which, the Côte de Saint Étienne au Mont, is 1km at 9.5% with pinches at over 15%. Although early on in the Tour, and despite it being relatively short, the GC action could kick off on this climb. Positioning on the ramp will be vital — if a GC rider is not on the top of their game, they could easily lose half-a-minute if things blow up on the ascent.
Mûr-de-Bretagne – stage seven
At just under 7% average and only 2km long, on paper the Mûr de Bretagne may not seem the most difficult of tests, but has become notorious for causing drama in its relatively short Tour life so far. Introduced for the first time in 2011, the Mûr is a latecomer to the race, with its first use coming over a century after more established climbs like the Tourmalet. However, the Mûr has been used four times since then and has been home to some exciting finishes. The last time it featured was in 2021, when Mathieu van der Poel took the stage and the yellow jersey in dramatic fashion.
Read more: The star and the cyclist: How Van der Poel balances fame and focus
Mathieu van der Poel won on the Mûr de Bretagne at the Tour de France 2021 (Image: Alex Broadway / SWpix.com)
Hautacam – stage 12
Hautacam is back on the Tour route for the seventh time, having been first used in 1994. With its average of 7.9% slopes for 13.5km, it’s easy to see why the Tour organisers are fond of the challenging climb. The last time…