Tour de France 2025 Internship: Col de la Loze Live
Tour de France 2025: Stage 18 – Vif to Courchevel (Col de la Loze) Live
Table of Contents
Luke mclaughlin
24 July 2025
Welcome, cycling fans, to our live coverage of stage 18 of the 2025 Tour de France! Today promises to be an absolute cracker of a day, as the peloton tackles some of the most iconic and brutal climbs in the Alps. We’re heading from Vif to Courchevel, with the formidable Col de la Loze standing as the ultimate arbiter of who will be kings of the mountain today.
this is it, the business end of the Tour.With just a few stages left, every second counts, and the GC battle is set to ignite on these unforgiving gradients. We’ll be bringing you all the action, the drama, and the sheer grit of the riders as thay battle it out for glory.
The Route: A Mountain Masterclass
Stage 18 is a true test of a climber’s mettle. Clocking in at 170.5 kilometers, it’s not the longest stage, but what it lacks in distance, it more than makes up for in sheer verticality. We start in Vif, a charming town in the Isère department, and head south-east towards the high mountains.The real drama begins as we approach the final ascent. The Col de la Loze is the undisputed queen of this stage. This HC (Hors Catégorie) climb is a relatively new addition to the Tour,but it has already cemented its reputation as one of the toughest ascents in modern cycling.
key Climbs of the Day:
Col des Saisies (Cat 1): A challenging opener to the mountain stages,setting the tone for what’s to come.
Cormet de Roselend (Cat 2): A beautiful but demanding climb, offering stunning views and a chance for early attacks.
Col de la Loze (Cat HC): The main event. This brutal climb averages over 8% for much of its length, with sections reaching well over 10%. The summit finish will undoubtedly create significant gaps in the general Classification.
The final kilometers to Courchevel are all about the Col de la Loze. It’s a climb that has broken many a rider, and today will be no different. Expect to see the GC contenders duking it out, with the yellow jersey very much on the line.
What to Expect: GC Showdown and Breakaway Hopes
Today is a day for the climbers, and more importantly, for the General Classification contenders. We’re likely to see the main protagonists of the Tour de France go head-to-head on the Col de la Loze.
GC Battle: expect fireworks from the moment the road starts to rise significantly. Riders like Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogačar, and Primož Roglič will be looking to make their move. We could see significant time gaps created today, possibly deciding the overall winner of the Tour.
Breakaway Chances: While the GC riders will be focused on each other, there’s always a chance for a strong breakaway to succeed, especially if the GC teams decide to play it safe early on. Though,the sheer difficulty of the Col de la Loze might make it too tough for most breakaway riders to hold off the chasers.
stage Win: The stage win will likely go to one of the GC contenders or a very strong climber who manages to get into an early break and has the legs to hold on.
We’ll be keeping a close