Tour de France looks set to be epic showdown

Tadej Pogačar is the man to beat, but Jonas Vingegaard's form and firepower could deliver a cycling clash for the ages over the next three weeks. By Craig Ray

- Craig Ray

There should be at least two familiar sights at the 2025 Tour de France, which starts in Lille on 5 July: the view of the peloton streaking down the Champs-Élysées on the last day and Slovenian Tadej Pogačar in the leaders' yellow jersey.

The former is guaranteed, as the race returns to the Parisian cobblestones for its finale for a 50th time since the laps down the famous boulevard were introduced in 1975. Last year the Tour ended in Marseille, as Paris was being readied for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

It was the first time in the 112-year history of "La Grande Boucle" (the Big Loop) that the race did not end in the City of Light, but normal service will resume this year.

The other normal service that should resume, too, is the sight of Pogačar streaking to his fourth Tour de France title.

The UAE Team Emirates leader is unquestionably the best rider on the planet at the moment, but over three weeks, more than 3,300km and 21 stages a lot can go wrong, even for the best.

There is never a sure thing in a race of this magnitude because one crash, whether the rider's fault or just a function of bad luck, can end it. Even a puncture at a critical moment, or a day of illness at the wrong time, could derail the best-laid plans. That's why it's almost impossible to preordain a victor.

Overwhelming favourite

Yet, in the brutal world of professional bike riding, where there are no guarantees and no favours, Pogačar remains as close to a sure thing as there can be.

He has won three Tours in five years. In 2024 he won the Giro d'Italia, the second of cycling’s three Grand Tours, and captured the road race title at the world championship.

That made Pogačar the first rider since Ireland's Stephen Roche in 1987 to win those three races in the same year.