Tour de France 2025 Stage 20 – Last chance for glory in Pontarlier

As the curtain draws near on the 2025 edition of the Tour de France, Stage 20 brings a 184.2-kilometre ride from Nantua to Pontarlier through the rolling Jura hills. With Tadej Pogacar virtually sealed as the GC winner after a dominant ride to La Plagne, the focus shifts to stage hunters and breakaway artists looking for one final shot at Tour glory.

A stage for opportunists

Unlike the brutal alpine tests that preceded it, Stage 20 of Tour de France 2025 is designed for one thing: attacks. While the route does rack up 2,900 meters of elevation gain, the climbs are spread out, never exceeding 12 kilometres in length, and the gradients rarely bite. It's a route that screams breakaway, and everyone knows it.

The last time Pontarlier hosted a Tour stage finish was in 2001, when Dutchman Erik Dekker took a surprise win from the breakaway. Expect a similar scenario to unfold on Saturday.

The route: long climbs early, flat finale

The climbing begins early. Just 12 km into the stage, the riders begin the Col de la Croix de la Serra, a 12.1-kilometre drag at 4.1% gradient that tops out before kilometre 25. After a descent into Saint-Claude, two more categorized climbs follow: Côte de Valin (5.7 km at 4.4%) and Côte de Chateau-de-Prés (4.4 km at 4.3%).

While these aren't selective enough to trouble GC riders, they’re enough to form a strong breakaway group. Expect teams like Lidl-Trek, Soudal-QuickStep and Jayco AlUla to be active early, sending stage hunters up the road.

Around halfway, the road settles into rolling terrain past Champagnole before the sharpest climb of the day: Côte de Thésy – 3.6 km at 8.9%. Sadly for climbers, it comes with 63 km still to ride.

The final challenge is Côte de Longeville (2.5 km at 5.5%), cresting with 22 kilometres to go. From there, it’s a fast, flat run-in to Pontarlier, ideal for a small group to fight for the win.

Favorites for Tour de France 2025 Stage 20

With the GC all but decided, Stage 20 is an open invitation for non-GC riders to go all-in.

🔥 Top favourites:

• Wout van Aert – Versatile, explosive, and hungry. If he gets in the break, few can stop him.
• Julian Alaphilippe – Knows how to pick his moments, and this profile suits his strengths.
• Jasper Stuyven – Strong over undulating terrain, and deadly in a reduced sprint.
• Quinn Simmons – Always aggressive, and this could be his day to shine.

⭐ Outsiders to watch:

• Tim Wellens, Neilson Powless, Maximilian Schachmann, and Victor Campenaerts – all of them skilled rouleurs who thrive on lumpy terrain.
• Jonas Abrahamsen – already active in previous stages, and a capable breakaway engine.

A calm day for the peloton?

Don’t expect fireworks in the GC. With over four minutes between Pogacar and Vingegaard and the final ITT looming, the main contenders will likely play it safe. That means no GC shake-ups and a free day for attackers.

One thing is clear: Tour de France 2025 Stage 20 is not just filler—it’s a huge opportunity for those who haven’t had their day in the sun.

🔗 Check out the full TDF 2025 preview here:
https://thetipster.bet/tour-de-france-2025-preview/