The Tour de France Femmes resumes for 2025 after a blockbuster finish to last year’s race on Alpe d’Huez, where Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) fought a dogged rearguard to beat Demi Vollering (then with Team SD Worx- Protime) by four seconds – the tightest margin in Tour history.
It put the nascent race at a new level, with organisers ASO opting to add a day to the now nine-stage race for 2025.
The opening three stages play out in French cycling heartland Brittany, with a short, sharp stage 1 starting in the walled town of Vannes, in the Morbihan department.
- Read more: Tour de France Femmes 2025 preview: 5 key talking points ahead of the Grand Depart
- Read more: How to watch Tour de France Femmes 2025: TV guide and live streams with stage start times
Stage 1: Vannes > Plumelec
- Date: 26 July
- Distance: 78.8km
- Stage type: Hilly
Route profile
Route map
Racing on stage 1 of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes is centred around the climb of Côte de Cadoudal – a main road out of Plumelec, which will be climbed three times on a finishing circuit ridden twice.
The stage culminates on the Cadoudal climb, which runs for 1.7km at 6.2% and eases towards the summit.
“Starting in the magnificent medieval setting of the port of Vannes, this short stage, run entirely in the Morbihan, is designed to add dynamism to the race,” says race director Marion Rousse.
“After tackling part of the route of the 2020 French Road Championships at Grand-Champ, the peloton will quickly reach the two laps of the final circuit, where they’ll tackle the climb of the Côte de Cadoudal three times. Victory at the summit will certainly go to a punchy rider.”
One to watch: Anna van der Breggen
Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime), out of retirement in 2025, loves a finish of this ilk. There's a good chance she could be sitting in yellow heading into stage 2.
2024 winner, Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon-SRAM) won the 2016 European U23 Championship road race in Plumelec and will, of course, be looking to defend her 2024 title from the off.
