Bang! Right from the start of stage nine, the Tour peloton will ascend from the exclusive ski resort of Val d'Isère. The riders will head up the windy, wide-open slopes of the Col de l'Iseran (15km @ 6%) to the 2770-metre high summit, one of the highest in Europe.
Coming as it does on the day after the rest day in Tignes, the climb will be doubly-hard and once over the top, it's a long, fast downhill run down the Maurienne valley to St.Michel-de-Maurienne. There the long, legendary double ascent of the Télégraphe (12.0 km climb @ 6.7 % grade / 1st Cat) and Galibier (17.5 km @ 6.9 %) begins and it will certainly make a crucial selection, especially on the steep final 10 kilometres of the Galibier.
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Tour de France 2025: All the yellow cards, fines, and penalties
Good behaviour during the opening weekend of the race sees just one rider receive a fine -
Soudal-QuickStep head to Val di Fassa for altitude training
For the third consecutive year, the prestigious cycling team chooses the Dolomite valley for the high-altitude preparation of young stars, including Paul Magnier -
Decathlon increases budget to €40 million to take on the super teams and target Tour de France with Paul Seixas
Sporting goods brand buys team from outgoing sponsor AG2R La Mondiale in strategic move -
How to watch the Tour de France 2025: TV, Streaming, official broadcasters
Where to watch the biggest race in the world this July
