From a point of view of someone, who writes awful lot about road cycling history, but not an avid rider herself, a Tour de France wishlist looks inevitably different than what physically more active cyclists,who also great admirers of the French grand tour would like to see in the program of the next race.
In the end, of course, it’s always about mountains.
It’s very rare when big cycling stories are born on a (relatively) plain stage, like Hugo Koblet’s epic solo ride in 1951. (But if you read the post I just linked carefully, you can see that the story becomes full only with mentioning a mountain stage of that edition too.) Even the most distressing stories, like that day after Gino Bartali and the entire Italian team quit the race in 1950, or when a spectator punched in the gut of Eddy Merckx in 1975, happened in the mountains.
Thus no wonder, that the content of this article will focus on the famous or infamous ascent of the Tour dea France too. Again, it’s important to stress out, there is only one criterion by which I select the next list: which of them I would like to write more in the upcoming months and if course during the race.
Orcieres-Merlette
Last time the Tour de France visited this ski resort in the Hautes-Alpes was in 2020. It was an extraordinary year from several aspects. That stage, quite early in the program, in the 4th day, ended with the victory of Primoz Roglic, after several riders arrived with the same time. Probably, in that early phase of the race, very few people paid atteinton to the other Slovenian rider, Tadej Pogacar, who later won the race in a really spectacular way.
Orcieres-Merlette was introduced to Tour de France in 1971. That very first occasion witnessed Luis Ocaña’s triumph. The Spaniard took also the yellow jersey that day. He was considered the ultimate favourite, but, unfortunately, a few days later he crashed badly and had to abandon the race.
Although Orcieres-Merlette was part of the Tour de France only for five time, it manages to establish a legendary place in road cycling histor, why it is worth writing about it more and a new appearance in the program would be an ideal time for it.
Col d’Aubisque
You can call it blasphemy, but I think Col d’Aubisque ha more story to tell then the mighty Tourmalet in the neighbourhood.
Since the introduction of the Pyrenees to Tour de France in 1910, the big quartet Tourmalet, aspin, Aubisque and Peyresourde usually used to appear together in the program. I was a bit disappointed, that, depite having Tourmalet in the program in both 2023 and 2024, Col d’Aubisque was left out. Its last appearance happened in 2022, mid-stage, as usual. (Only 3 times finished a stage on the top of Aubisque). Giulio Ciccone crossed the top of the ascent first.
What I really like about the Aubisqe that the stories related to it seem more dramatic, more contrasted, sharper, edgier than stories from other ascent of the Pyrenees.
Read about the story when Wim van Est fell into a 70m deep ravine>>
Mont Ventoux
The Italian renaissance poet Petrarca once climbed Mont Ventoux and, what els he could do, started reading on the top.
Nowadays, of course, the place is more related to other outdoor activites, like road cycling.
The ascent was introduces to Tour de France in 1951, but only in 1958 was used as summit finish for the very first time.
Although in 2021 we get a double dosis of Mont Ventoux, was an extraordinary day for Wout van Aerts, there is no such thing as too much Mont Ventoux. And it’s hight time again to see the peloton conquering it.
And don’t forget! Despite being Chris Froome the unlucky protagonist of that day, that famous Mont Ventoux stage in 2016 was won by Thomas De Gendt.
Puy de Dôme
Once a battlefield for such great duels like the one betweeen Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor in 1964, Puy de Dôme was overlooked by the organizers due to very good reasons for decades. The road was narrowed in the late 1980s, which made almost impossible to organize such a big spectacle like a Tour de France stage there.
I said almost impossible. Because in 2023 Tour de France, making the impossible possible visited Puy de Dôme again.
But this was something different.
A very intimate stage, without roadside spetators and the usual car caravan. Watching this stage made me think a lot about what basically a road cycling race is.
Puy de Dôme is the only one ascent on my Tour de France 2025 wishlist less because of its history and rather because present day road cycling.
Col d’Izoard
If you like Mont Ventoux because its unique landscape, you MUST like Col d’Izoard too. Introduced to Tour de France in 1922, this ascent in the Alps were used more than 30 time. Last occasion was in 2019, when Damiano Caruso was the first on the top. Usually a mid-stage ascent, but in 2017 appeared as summit finish. Warren Barguil was the best rider that day.
Sooo… those were my Tour de France wishlist for the year 2025. Let see, which of them will make it to the program next year. If you can wait till the officialpresentation until end of Octover 2024, please take a look at the latest rumors swirling around the possible program of Tour de France 2025
Tour de France 2025 will start on 5 July 2025 in Lille. Paris, again, will be the end station of the race on 27 July 2025.