Today’s 12th stage of the 2025 Tour de France is the first of three big days in the Pyrenees.
With the exception of stage 10, it has taken more than half of this year’s Tour for the riders to reach the mountains, so the climbers will be keen to make their mark.
This looks like a classic GC day, when Pogačar or Vingegaard might want to stamp their authority on the race. Or will they want to keep their powder dry for tomorrow’s uphill time trial?
Stage 12: Auch > Hautacam
Date: 17 July
Distance: 180.6km
Elevation gain: 3,850m
Stage type: Mountain
Route profile
Route map
This opening day in the Pyrenees is one to savour, but how will three back-to-back mountain stages influence proceedings?
History would suggest a conservative approach by the general classification pack, yet with this being the first major summit finish of the race, those leading contenders may yet to have coalesced into a defined group.
With the always aggressive Tadej Pogačar in the race, expect a climactic finish on the Hautacam.
This bruising Pyrenean climb (13.6km at 7.8%) is a narrow, one-way road with some double-digit gradients in its second half, and features as a finish for the seventh time since its debut in 1994.
Shortly before the Hautacam finish is the substantial climb of the Col du Soulor, a steep, irregular ascent over 11.9km. It’s a stage backloaded with difficult climbs.
“Any day the Tour tackles the Pyrenees is always going to be significant,” says race director Christian Prudhomme.
“The battle between the favourites for the overall title will have greater magnitude today, particularly over the final 45 kilometres when the peloton initially tackles the Col du Soulor via Ferrières (11.9km at 7.3%), before advancing to the Col de Bordères.
“Then comes a real moment of truth, in the shape of the 13.6km climb to Hautacam, where the gradient averages 7.8%.”
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