The Tour may be over, but the thrills linger.

In this episode of Ride & Thrive, Dave counts down 10 unforgettable moments from this year’s Tour de France—from Quinn Simmons channeling Captain America to Lenny Martinez’s cheeky sticky bottle maneuver on Stage 18 🚴‍♂️💥.

Get ready for a fast-paced recap with behind-the-scenes drama, insider insights, and the kind of cycling storytelling that fuels your ride. Buckle up, it’s time to relive the magic—starting with #10 and climbing all the way to #1. 

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🎙️ Tour de France 2025: Highs, Heartbreaks & Heroics

Three weeks. Twenty-one stages. Endless storylines. From Pogačar’s clinical dominance to the cobbled chaos of Montmartre, this year’s Tour blended tradition with unpredictability.

In this special wrap-up episode, we break down the biggest winners, the unexpected losers, and the moments that made this Tour unforgettable.

Who cemented their legacy? Who cracked under pressure? And who deserves more love than the headlines gave?

We talk climbs, crashes, comebacks, and controversies—with fresh insights for fans and first-timers alike.

Whether you followed every stage or just dipped in for the final showdown, Ride & Thrive has you covered. 

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• Originally planned as a 129.9 km Alpine queen stage from Albertville to La Plagne, including the Col des Saisies, Col du Pré, Cormet de Roselend, and final summit finish.
• Due to a last‑minute outbreak of nodular dermatitis in local cattle, organisers shortened the stage to approximately 93–95 km, cutting out two climbs. The start was delayed to about 14:30 BST.

🚵 Early action: Breaks and Attacks

• Shortly after the revised neutral start in Albertville, Primož Roglič attempted an early attack, bridging with Valentin Paret‑Peintre and Lenny Martínez—an aggressive move that ultimately fizzled as the GC group reeled them in.I

🧗 Mid-stage: Climbs and Conditions

• Riders faced two key climbs: the HC Col du Pré (~12.6 km at ~7.7%) and the 2nd‑category Cormet de Roselend, before descending towards La Plagne. The shortened course and cool, rainy Alpine weather added extra drama.

⚡ Final climb & winning move

• With ~12–13 km to go on the final ascent to La Plagne, Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers) launched a decisive attack, escaping the GC group including Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, and built a small gap.
• In the final meters, Vingegaard and Pogacar were closing fast, but Arensman held on to win by just 2 seconds—earning his second Tour stage victory.
• Emotion poured out from Arensman at the finish, calling the win a dream after taking on cycling’s biggest names.

🏆 GC and classification wrap‑up

• Tadej Pogacar retained the yellow jersey, with a slightly reduced lead of approximately 4 minutes 24 seconds over Vingegaard with two stages to go.
• Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull‑BORA) held third overall, just ahead of Oscar Onley, who continues to impress as a young GC hopeful.
• Pogacar also kept the King of the Mountains (KOM) and polka-dot jersey, showcasing his all-round dominance and smart, measured riding.

🧠 Strategic Takeaways & Talking Points

1. Arensman’s savvy timing and courage to attack on the final climb, even with the GC men looming.
2. Pogacar’s calculated control: he didn’t challenge for the stage win, but maintained pace to protect his lead.
3. The impact of the diseased cattle outbreak forcing a dramatic last‑minute route change—and how riders and teams adapted.
4. GC context: Lipowitz vs Onley battle for third; Vingegaard’s attempt to chip away at Pogacar; and Roglič’s fading gambit.
5. Weather and terrain factors: shorter course, rain, cooler temps—how that influenced tactics and rider performance.

Stage 17 delivered chaos and courage in equal measure. In torrential rain and greasy conditions, sprinters battled for supremacy on the road to Valence.

A late crash inside the final kilometre shattered the sprint train, but Jonathan Milan stayed upright and surged to his second stage win, tightening his grip on the green jersey.

 Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard avoided the carnage, preserving their GC positions as the peloton edged closer to the Alps.

Stage 18 was the Queen Stage—and it lived up to the billing. With over 5,400 metres of climbing across three brutal ascents, including the infamous Col de la Loze, it was a day for the mountain goats.

 Ben O’Connor launched a daring solo attack and conquered the summit through hail and heartbreak to claim a career-defining win.

Behind him, Pogačar once again distanced Vingegaard in the final kilometre, extending his overall lead to 4 minutes and 26 seconds.

Meanwhile, young Scot Oscar Onley matched the GC giants pedal for pedal, closing in on a podium spot with just days to go.

Stage 16 of the Tour de France 2025 was all about the Giant of Provence—and it didn’t disappoint.

French climber Valentin Paret-Peintre stunned the favourites with a late surge to win atop Mont Ventoux, claiming his first Tour stage and sending the home crowd into raptures.

With 140 km of flat terrain before the final climb, the peloton stayed calm until chaos erupted on the slopes. 🚴‍♂️ Pogačar marked attacks but didn’t strike.
🔥 Vingegaard tried to shake things up.

🇫🇷 Paret-Peintre timed it perfectly. We break down the tactics, the pacing, and the pain of one of cycling’s most iconic ascents. Plus: GC updates, team strategies, and what this means heading into the Alps.
#TDF2025 #RideAndThrive #Stage16Recap #MontVentoux 

Stage 15 Muret-Carcassonne 169.3km (Hilly)

Stage 15 of the Tour de France 2025 delivered a masterclass in breakaway brilliance and tactical misfires. On a lumpy 169 km route through southern France, Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) launched a daring solo attack with 40 km to go, holding off all chasers to claim his first Tour stage win—and complete his set of victories across all three Grand Tours.

Behind him, the peloton fractured early due to a crash, GC teams scrambled to regroup, and Julian Alaphilippe mistakenly celebrated third place as a win. With the GC battle neutralized and the sprinters dropped, it was a day for the opportunists—and Wellens seized it with style.

Stage 13: Loudenvielle to Peyragudes – Mountain Time Trial (10.9km)

Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) delivered a masterclass in pacing and power, conquering the brutal uphill TT in 23 minutes flat to claim his fourth stage win of the Tour.

Racing without a team radio and opting for a lightweight road bike, Pogačar extended his GC lead to +4:07 over Jonas Vingegaard, who finished second on the day.

Primož Roglič surged back into podium contention with a third-place finish, while Remco Evenepoel faltered, dropping off the GC podium.

Florian Lipowitz and Oscar Onley continued their consistent climbs, now sitting fourth and fifth overall.

With gradients peaking at 16%, this rare mountain TT was a pure climber’s test—and Pogačar proved untouchable.

Stage 14: Pyrenean Showdown – Pau to Luchon-Superbagnères (182.6km)

Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers) delivered a breakout solo victory on the queen stage of the Pyrenees, attacking on the Col de Peyresourde and holding off the GC titans to claim his first Tour stage win.

Tadej Pogačar extended his grip on yellow, outsprinting Jonas Vingegaard for second and padding his overall lead to +4:13.

Remco Evenepoel abandoned on the Tourmalet, reshuffling the GC and opening the door for Florian Lipowitz to move into third.

Oscar Onley impressed again, climbing to fourth overall.

It was a day of high drama, brutal gradients, and a summit finish that crowned Arensman’s audacity.

• Tadej Pogačar stormed to victory atop the legendary Hautacam, reclaiming the yellow jersey in dominant fashion.
• - He attacked 12 km from the summit, dropping all rivals and finishing 2'10" ahead of Jonas Vingegaard, with Florian Lipowitz rounding out the podium.
• - This marks Pogačar’s 20th career Tour stage win and his third of this Tour, just one day after crashing in Stage 11.

• 🔥 GC Shake-Up
• - Ben Healy, who wore yellow for two days, cracked in the heat and lost over 13 minutes, dropping to 11th overall.
• - Remco Evenepoel also struggled, conceding 3'35" and slipping further behind.
• - Oscar Onley, the 22-year-old Brit, impressed again with a top-five finish, holding firm among the elite climbers.

🕊️ Dedication & Emotion

• Pogačar dedicated his win to Samuele Privitera, a 19-year-old Italian rider who tragically died in a crash at the Giro della Valle d’Aosta.

From heartbreak to heroics—Stage 11 of the Tour de France delivered a masterclass in grit and glory. Jonas Abrahamsen, fresh off a broken collarbone, stormed to victory in Toulouse, giving Uno-X Mobility their first-ever Tour stage win.

Meanwhile, Tadej Pogačar hit the deck but bounced back like a true champion. We’ve got breakaway brilliance, GC drama, and even a protester on the course.

 Let’s dive into the chaos, courage, and cycling culture of Stage 11.”