The 2025 Tour de France is set to begin soon, with this year’s race starting back on home soil after several years abroad.
The opening stage kicks off in Lille on July 5, featuring a mostly flat 185-kilometer route that loops around the area in an anticlockwise direction—perfect conditions for sprinters to shine.
Event Information
| When | Saturday, July 5, 2025 |
| Time | 10:00 AM ET |
| Where | Lille, France |
| TV Channel | NBC |
| Live Stream | Fubo (Get a free trial!) |
Unlike the mountain-heavy stages the Tour is famous for, this first leg is considered flat, with less than 1,200 meters of total climbing.
Riders will face three category four ascents: Côte de Notre-Dame-de-Lorette (1 km at 7.6%), Mont Cassel (1.9 km at 3.6%), and Mont Noir (1.3 km at 6.4%).
These climbs offer opportunities for early breakaways and a shot at the first polka dot jersey, but the main excitement is expected near the end, when the sprint teams will work hard to set up a dramatic finish.
The stage concludes with a long, straight run down Boulevard Vauban in Lille, making it ideal for a fast group sprint. With 50 points available for the green jersey at the finish, expect leading sprinters like Jasper Philipsen and Biniam Girmay to contest the win.
Girmay, in particular, is aiming to make history as the first Black African rider to wear the yellow jersey if he crosses the line first.
Live stream Tour de France 2025 Stage 1 on Fubo:Watch the event now!
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