Summit finishes are always key moments in the Tour de France route, adding high-stakes drama and serving as turning points that often shape the race’s outcome. Unlike other stages, a summit finish demands exceptional endurance, climbing skill, and mental toughness, pushing riders to their limits as they race to the top of some of Europe’s most iconic and challenging peaks.
The idea of summit finish was introduced to Tour de France in 1952. Alpe d’Huez was chosen to host a hilltop finish for the first time in the history of Tour de France. Before this, all the stages including even the mightiest ascents of both the Pyrenees and the Alps, finished in a host town or city. (Mont Ventoux, usually an ascent where the stage would finish, was introduced to Tour de France in 1951, and did not host a summit finish until 1958)
Nowadays it’s one of the big questions before the route presentation
how many summit finishes will next year’s Tour de France include?
The latest rumours and speculations indicate that during the stages in the Pyrenees, it might happen some pretty awsome summit finishes. There is a possibility, that the 11th stage will end on Supermagnères , the 12th stage on Hautacam. It looks like the 13th stage will be some kind of a mountain time tiral up to Peyragudes.
There wil be most likely a summit finish on the top of Mont Ventoux next year.
The prossible route through the Alps (probably the 18th and 19th stage) seems less clear now, but there is a possibility to finish a stage (probably Stage 19) on the La Plagne.
But to learn the truth about the summit finished of Tour de France 2025, we have to wait until the official route presentation on 29 October 2024.