Stage 18 is the toughest day of the 2025 Tour de France, with three Hors Catégorie climbs and the highest summit finish of the race. From Vif to Courchevel via the Col du Glandon, Col de la Madeleine and the mighty Col de la Loze, it’s a brutal 171.5km that could well decide the yellow jersey.
This is the queen stage in every sense – highest altitude, most climbing metres (5,450m), and the greatest potential for time gaps. It’s the sort of day where riders either rise or unravel. And if there’s one mountain that still echoes from recent memory, it’s the Col de la Loze, where Tadej Pogačar famously cracked in 2023. Two years on, he’ll return with a chance to settle the score.
The route – three Alpine giants and a summit at 2,300 metres
The day begins in Vif, just south of Grenoble, and the climbing starts early with uncategorised ramps before the road rises to the Col du Glandon (21.7km at 5.1%). Though that average conceals a lumpy profile, it’s a long drag and the first real selection point.
After a descent and brief valley road, the race tackles the Col de la Madeleine. This is a Tour classic – 19.2km at 7.9%, consistently steep and exposed. This is often the graveyard of support riders, and only the strongest team leaders will survive intact.
But it’s the final climb to Courchevel, via the Col de la Loze, that defines the stage. The official stats say 28km, though the toughest section is the final 12km from Courchevel, averaging 7.3% before hitting ramps of 11% and over 8% in the final kilometres. At 2,300m above sea level, this is the highest point of the Tour and awards the Souvenir Henri Desgrange. For the GC contenders, it’s a battlefield – and one that history suggests will be decisive.
What’s on offer
Date: Thursday, 24th July
Distance: 171.5km
Start/Finish: Vif – Courchevel (Col de la Loze)
Climbs:
Col du Glandon (HC, km 49.3)
Col de la Madeleine (HC, km 104.4)
Col de la Loze (HC, km 171.5)
Prediction
This stage is personal for Tadej Pogačar. Two years ago, this was where his 2023 Tour fell apart. Now, with the maillot jaune on his shoulders, he’ll be determined to finish what he started. Expect him to attack on the upper slopes of the Col de la Loze and ride solo to a symbolic and decisive win.