2025 Tour de France: Race moments & VELUX highlights

The 112th edition of the Tour de France delivered everything we love about cycling's greatest race. 

At the heart of it all? The captivating rivalry between Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG) and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma–Lease a Bike), two champions trading blows across mountain passes and against the clock.

The 2025 Tour de France spanned 3,338.8 km over 21 stages entirely within France, crossing 11 regions and 34 départements. With an elevation gain of 52,500 metres, it ranked among the most demanding editions in recent years.

The Grand Départ took place in Lille Métropole on 5th July, whilst the race concluded in Paris on 27th July with the traditional finish on the Champs-Élysées.

The route featured:

• 7 flat stages
• 6 hilly stages
• 6 mountain stages, including summit finishes in the Pyrenees, Mont Ventoux, and the Alps
• 2 time trials (one flat, one uphill) 
• 2 rest days for recovery¹

From the Grand Départ in Lille Métropole to the iconic Champs-Élysées finale in Paris, the peloton wound its way through some of France's most beautiful cities and villages, each stage bringing new challenges and fresh scenery.

Here is the full list of stages:

The GC battle kept us on the edge of our seats right until the final time trial, with marginal gains and bold attacks reshaping the standings throughout the three weeks.

Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates XRG) proved once again why he's considered a generational talent, securing his fourth Tour de France victory with a combination of climbing prowess and tactical brilliance. Yet the real revelation was Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe), whose stunning ride to third place announced a new star on cycling's biggest stage.

The complete general classification (GC) of the 2025 Tour de France is as follows²:

While the yellow jersey battle raged, the competition for the other classifications provided its own compelling narratives. Jonathan Milan (Lidl–Trek) dominated the sprint finishes, claiming four stage victories on his way to the green jersey with undeniable power and precision.

Meanwhile, Tadej Pogačar wore the polka dots with pride as King of the Mountains, rewarding fans with aggressive climbing throughout.

As the race culminated in its traditional Parisian apotheosis on the Champs-Élysées, it was a celebration of Pogačar’s dominance, Milan’s speed, and a new generation of talent ready to challenge for glory.

Why the Tour de France? Because it embodies everything we believe in at VELUX: teamwork, resilience, and the transformative power of fresh air and daylight.

It's no coincidence that our name comes from 'VE' for ventilation and 'LUX' for light. The Tour de France, with its riders pushing through sunlit mountain passes and breathing in the crisp outdoor air, provides the perfect stage to share our mission: bringing the outdoors inside, improving indoor climate and transforming homes into healthier, brighter spaces. 

In 2025, our first year as an official Tour de France sponsor, we set out with a clear goal: to create authentic, meaningful connections. We wanted people to genuinely feel the VELUX brand, and we're proud to say they did.

Along the sun-drenched roads of France, we brought a little piece of home comfort to the spectators. Our vehicles in the Advertising Caravan became a sensory showcase, demonstrating how our heat protection blinds and shutters create the perfect indoor climate, even on the hottest July days.

We shared over 300,000 bucket hats with roadside fans, offering welcome shade and becoming a visible part of the Tour's colourful landscape. In the official Fan Parks from Lille to Paris, we welcomed visitors into cosy, home-inspired settings where they could relax and soak up the atmosphere in comfort.

Beyond the roadside, we brought together over a thousand professionals for exclusive hospitality experiences, including guided architectural bike tours that combined a passion for cycling with an appreciation for outstanding design.

The engagement continued online, where our interactive bib generator proved a genuine hit. More than 6,000 people created their own personalised Tour de France bib numbers, making the race truly their own.

Our connection to the race ran deep. The VELUX logo featured on every rider's official bib, a constant presence within the peloton itself.

We also chose to celebrate something truly special: the legendary Lanterne Rouge. By sponsoring the famous "Broom Wagon" that accompanies the final rider, we paid tribute to the spirit of perseverance that defines this great race.

The journey continues in 2026, kicking off with what promises to be a spectacular Grand Départ in Barcelona—the 27th foreign start and third from Spain.

Curious to learn more about the intricacies of the race? Dive deeper with our article covering the most frequently asked questions about the Tour de France. We can't wait to see you on the roadside!