Cycling
After an exciting three days in the Pyrenees, the riders prepare for a transitional stage before the much-anticipated second rest day of the Tour de France 2025. This stage offers ample opportunities for breakaway attempts.
Stage 15 Profile of Tour de France 2025
On Sunday, the race will kick off in Muret, following a route towards the east. While the early part of the course is mostly flat, it does feature a few bumps. The riders will head towards Saint-Félix-Lauragais, where a sprint point will be contested after 60 kilometers. The question remains whether the sprint teams will try to control the race to secure points there.
Soon after, the first two climbs of the day appear. At the 70-kilometer mark, riders will tackle the Côte de Saint-Ferréol, a third-category climb measuring 1.7 kilometers with an average gradient of 7 percent. This is followed by a descent and then the Côte de Sorèze, a 6.2-kilometer climb averaging 5.5%. After reaching the summit, the road continues to ascend for a few kilometers before a descent begins.
The toughest climb awaits at the Pas du Sant, a steep 2.9-kilometer ascent with an average gradient of 10.2%. Once at the top, with just over 50 kilometers to the finish, the climbing is far from over. The road continues to rise for 15.3 kilometers at an average of 4.1%, providing a testing ground for the strong riders who can make a significant impact here.
A lengthy descent follows all the way to Carcassonne, known for its historical significance and inspiration for the popular board game. The final ten kilometers are relatively flat, leading to a twisty finish. The last kilometers include tight corners and a narrowing road, putting extra pressure on the riders before the finish line.
Climbing Details:
Côte de Saint-Ferréol (1.7 kilometers at 7%)
Côte de Sorèze (6.2 kilometers at 5.5%)
Pas du Sant (2.9 kilometers at 10.2%)
Timing
Start: 13:20
Finish: 17:08
Weather for Stage 15 of Tour de France 2025
After a gloomy and rainy Saturday, the race returns to summer conditions on Sunday. Temperatures are expected to reach around 30 degrees Celsius, with a moderate tailwind assisting the riders for most of the stage, though there will be sections with a crosswind.
Favorites for Stage 15 of Tour de France 2025
This stage resembles Stage 15 of the 2018 Tour, where Magnus Cort triumphed from a breakaway of 26 riders including notable competitors like Bauke Mollema and Greg Van Avermaet. Tadej Pogacar might consider let someone like Mathieu van der Poel take the stage victory, as Van der Poel has consistently performed well in similar stages during this Tour.
Should the stage come down to a sprint, Alpecin-Deceuninck could rely on Kaden Groves. Meanwhile, Wout van Aert from Visma | Lease a Bike has his sights set on this stage, re-encountering rivals met on earlier stages. Other competitors to watch include Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X), Quinn Simmonsen (Lidl-Trek), and Axel Laurances (INEOS Grenadiers).
The fight for the day’s breakaway will be fierce, especially for teams with riders like Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) and Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), who will face challenges in controlling the pace. The UAE Emirates-XRG team, led by Pogacar, will also be keen to support the likes of Tim Wellens or Jhonatan Narváez for a chance at stage victory.
Additional notable riders include Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious), Laurence Pithie (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), and Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ), who thrive on stages like this.
Top favorites according to In de Leiderstrui for Stage 15 of the Tour de France 2025 include:
Top contenders: Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek)
Outsiders: Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike), Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla), Axel Laurance (INEOS Grenadiers), Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Long-shots: Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty), and others.
The anticipation surrounding Stage 15 highlights the unpredictable nature of cycling, and as the riders face various terrains and challenges, fans can look forward to an exciting race filled with potential surprises.