Tour de France 2025 – Step 12: course, profile and favorites in Hautacam

It was not until the 12th stage of the Tour de France 2025 for the high mountain to appear. The climbers enter their arena and finally climb into the boxing ring. The first punches will be given in the rise of Hautacam. Who will take an uppercut? Who is going to be struck in front of the opponents? Will Jonas Vingegaard put a knee on the ground in front of the hooks of Tadej Pogačar? So many questions that will find an answer and give a trend for the rounds to come.

The 3,850 meters of slope are, without a doubt, less impressive than the total elevation gain of the Puy de Sancy stage. Nevertheless, the length and difficulty of the climb of Hautacam have nothing to do with the difficulty of the Cols of the Massif Central.

The first 90 kilometers will be almost completely flat, which will not help climbers to interfere in the leading group. It will be necessary to bet on a launcher strategy, like Mads Pedersen which was rolling full pot to place Giulio Ciccone, within the men who made up the escaped groups. One can think of Matej Mohorič for Lenny Martinez.

The first difficulty will only appear after a long battle and a little more than 2 hours of road, with the Côte de Labatmale (1.3 kilometer at 6.3 %).

Climbers will hope to have sufficient credit at the top of Col you soulor (11.8 kilometers at 7.3 %) to glimpse the victory at the top of Hautacam. Difficult to imagine any offensive, as the path remaining up to the foot of the last ascent remains long (around thirty kilometers).

You will have to stay focused in the descent of the Soulor, so as not to go to the fault.

The same logic can be applied to Col des Bordères (3.1 kilometers at 7.7 %), short and irregular, but placed just before a transition period of about twenty kilometers.

4.6 kilometers from the finish : Again, the white jersey of Tadej Pogačar, nailed to the pillory by the duo of Jumbo – Visma. It is to this brand that Wout Van Aert, with Jonas Vingegaard in his wheel, deposited the Slovenian and definitively concluded the first coronation of the Danes on the Grande Loop.

3.3 kilometers of arrival : It is at this place that Wout Van Aert parked to propel his teammate towards a victory at the top, that the Danes appreciate (Bjarne Riis, in 1996 and Jonas Vingegaard, in 2022).

View from the finish line

The wind will be light, but bearing, to reach the Hautes-Pyrénées. A power of 12-14 km/h, which gasiers should appreciate to torture Nils Politt, who will be in charge of keeping them at a distance.

The direction of the northeast wind will probably have its importance in the choice of the place of attack of Tadej Pogačar. Unless the Visma – Lease A Bike surprises by anticipating the movements of Slovenian?

It’s the big day, the one everyone is waiting for. Tadej Pogacar Will he give his first blow to Jonas Vingegaard? The Slovenian took revenge on the rise of Combloux, during the last criterium of the Dauphiné. Marc Soler, his teammate, announced that they would seek to avenge their honor on the slopes of the Col de la Loze, where the sequence of a “pogi” in perdition will remain in the annals. Will they seek to do the same during the ascent of Hautacam? It goes without saying that the 2022 edition is still in the memories. The affront to be released by the green jersey of the time, Wout Van Aert, must be washed. It is therefore necessary to expect the UAE Emirates XRG to master a day promised to a battle between champions. Easily controllable, Mauro Gianetti’s men will have plenty of time to tame a breakaway group, so that their leader comes to conclude the work. Everyone expects the triple winner of the Tour to come and gather their first punch with their main opponent. It will most likely be the case. Only, can we legitimately ask the question of his fall, in the streets of Toulouse? Will it be felt? Will his opponents try to test him and see if he is marked? Falling on the eve of a mountain stage is never trivial.

Jonas Vingegaard And his team will have to take advantage of it and go up that level has damn today since the June debacle. In the blow on punchy efforts, long efforts will be the Danes’ domain. An exercise where he had constantly lowered his head and where he will try to show that he is always the best in the world. What about the use of Matteo Jorgenson ? From the foot of Hautacam, the Visma – Lease A Bike could take the handle in an attempt to quickly ease the member of the UAE Emirates XRG. Does the Grisha Niermann team plan to maintain the American still? If this is the case, it will not be necessary to count on 20 minutes at 450 Watts.

Third man from the Tour de France 2023, Remco Evenepoel is still the favorite for the remaining place on the podium. Realistic, while being ambitious, the member of Sudal Quick-Step must, probably, wait until the blow of grace is given, to glimpse a more offensive strategy.

Strategy that Florian Lipowitz is not likely to deprive oneself in the meantime, if we believe the words of the German of the Red Bull – Bora Hansgrohe. Seeming stronger than Prominently HornCthe duo could play on the complementarity of the characters of the two leaders. One was offensive, when the other is more defensive. Long efforts should put back in the game of Enric Mas, Carlos Rodriguez et Félix Gallwhich tend to enhance the most steep passes. The main curiosity of the top 10 will lie on the performance ofOscar Onley, who keeps surprising.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Tadej Pogacar

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Jonas Vingegaard

⭐ ⭐ Matteo Jorgenson – Remco Evenepoel – Florian Lipowitz

⭐ Primoz Roglič – Enric Mas – Carlos Rodriguez – Félix Gall – Oscar Onley

Throughout this Tour de France, we will take turns a team present on this 112nd edition to establish the Road of the Stage. The twelfth stage will be dedicated to the Red Bull – Bora Hansgrohe team Primoz RoglaNo Et Florian Lipowitz.

” It’s the big day. The one where we will gradually go back to the general classification. The outcome is no doubt. Today is a day for champions. You are the champions. Rogla … Lipy … Tadej and Jonas are perhaps another world, but you have shown on your past exploits that you are of the same caliber. They may not consider us at our fair value. Let’s take advantage of it. They focus on each other. Their team is constantly returning the ball. Let them kill them. Let’s stay in the shadows, to spring up for a good time.
The first 90 kilometers will be without trap, badly flat, there will be only 880 meters of D+. Nothing very bad. Be careful, however, in placement. Rogla, we saw yesterday that you were caught in a break. On a flat departure, with a back wind, vigilance will be essential so as not to be taken in a break. The objective is that the team remains as economical as possible. “

” On the first 16 kilometers, you will come across a whole slide. Danny, you will have the mission of projecting yourself at the front. I want to have at the front to recover you in the final. Alek’s condition still leaves something to be desired. I really hope that the level will be daring. In the meantime, Mick has the key role of Baby-Sitter. Finding the precise place from where the leading group will be going to be impossible, you have to choose your moment. I would say that there are two runners to score closely: Wout Van Aert and Victor Campenaerts. Visma risks wanting to place pawns in front to recover them later. I would of course bet on the last. And I would not move by an ear for you, Danny, if you don’t see him yet moving. “

” Large question mark on the rise of Soulor. Pogačar went to the ground yesterday. Do the VO Vismant want to test it as soon as the first ascent. We cannot rule out this hypothesis. If the fall is far from an anodiborn. If the consequences are more serious than what we may try to make us believe, then the attempt would be worth it. Pogi could end at more than 10 minutes. Whatever happens, they can contain pressure on him alone in the technical descent, taking the head of the peloton before km 134. Stay in the first to be well positioned in the rocking. All we can hope for is that Danny is later recovered to protect you in the valley. “

” On the side of the final climb, the pace will accelerate and be asphyxiating from the brand of the last 13 kilometers. The wind will be more favorable. “

” Do not expect actions from km 172, since here the wind will be unfavorable … “

” Before you have back from back, 6.4 kilometers from the finish. That’s a way. Observe. Try to follow. Flo, enjoy moments of floating and rushes. You are a complementary duo. Take advantage of it. Flo, you are not cold in the eyes. Tents your luck when you can, you feel that others are in a weak time, but do not explode the box. The road is still long until Paris. Friday, after the time, we will see what latitude we will have for the steps to come. “