This Saturday 5th of July, Intermarché-Wanty returns to the Tour de France after leaving its mark on the last edition, securing three stage victories and a historic green jersey thanks to Eritrean sprinter Biniam Girmay. At the Grand Départ in Lille, not far from the Belgian border and the service course of the World Team in Tournai, the team of Jean-François Bourlart begins its eighth participation with the ambition of continuing the momentum from 2024.
The Route
The 2025 Tour de France kicks off from the European metropolis with a stage favorable to sprinters. To reach Paris and its Champs-Élysées three weeks later, riders will need to conquer twenty-one stages, including seven categorized as flat, six hilly, six in the mountains (with five summit finishes), and two individual time trials.
Among the main attractions of this 2025 Tour are Mont Ventoux, returning for the first time since its double ascent in the 2021 edition, explosive finishes at Mûr-de-Bretagne, and high-altitude arrivals at Superbagnères, Hautacam, and Col de La Loze. The first timed effort, a completely flat 33-kilometer individual time trial, takes place in Caen on day five, while the second tackles the slopes of Peyragudes over 11 kilometers on day thirteen.
The 3320-kilometer route unfolds entirely within French territory, a first in five years. As a conclusion on Sunday 27th of July, the selection led by Aike Visbeek, Dimitri Claeys, and Pieter Vanspeybrouck will have to reach the Avenue des Champs-Élysées via a renewed route, which includes the Butte Montmartre, featured in the recent Olympic Games.
The Selection
The reigning points classification winner, Biniam Girmay Hailu, the first African cyclist to claim a distinctive jersey, is set to compete in his third consecutive Tour de France, having already secured five podium finishes since the start of the season. Alongside him are two loyal stalwarts: Hugo Page and Laurenz Rex, who played a key role in his historic hat-trick last year. Both men have shown ascending form as they approach their second Tour. Page, wearer of the white jersey at the Dauphiné, recently clinched sixth place in the new World Tour classic in Copenhagen, while Rex has consistently landed in the top 10 at Paris-Roubaix, Gent-Wevelgem, and Bruges-De Panne.
The sprint train built around Girmay is bolstered by Belgian Vito Braet and Dutchman Roel van Sintmaartensdijk, the first talent from development structure Wanty-NIPPO-ReUz to discover the Tour de France. The squad can also count on the tireless Jonas Rutsch, who has made a strong impression since joining the team this season with several breakaways, notably securing sixth place at Paris-Roubaix.
A fresh face in the Tour, just like Braet and Van Sintmaartensdijk, Louis Barré embodies the revelation of the spring. The 25-year-old Frenchman is continuously pushing his limits since joining the Walloon team, achieving a remarkable sixth place at the Amstel Gold Race and wearing the white jersey thanks to his first World Tour podium at the Dauphiné.
Finally, Georg Zimmermann makes his fifth Tour de France selection with Intermarché-Wanty. The 27-year-old German climber, who contributed to Girmay’s success last summer, has regularly distinguished himself in attacks in his previous participations, even coming close to victory in 2023 with a second-place finish in Issoire. Last April, he reached a new milestone in his career by winning his first stage race, the Giro d’Abruzzo.
Roster:
Louis Barré
Vito Braet
Biniam Girmay
Hugo Page
Laurenz Rex
Jonas Rutsch
Roel van Sintmaartensdijk
Georg Zimmermann
