Stage 16 of the Tour de France delivered a thrilling spectacle as the peloton tackled the iconic Mont Ventoux, the “Giant of Provence,” in a 171.5-kilometer journey from Montpellier.
Mont Ventoux lived up to its fearsome reputation as a battleground for both breakaway riders and general classification (GC) contenders.
A massive breakaway of nearly 40 riders formed early, but it was Valentin Paret-Peintre of Soudal-QuickStep who etched his name into cycling history. The 24-year-old Frenchman surged ahead in a breathless sprint, narrowly outpacing EF Education-EasyPost’s Ben Healy to claim France’s first stage win of the 2025 Tour.
The GC battle was equally intense, with Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) locked in a fierce duel. Vingegaard launched four attacks on the lunar-like slopes above Chalet Reynard, but Pogacar responded each time, ultimately gaining two seconds on his rival in the final surge to the finish, further solidifying his grip on the yellow jersey.
A French winner atop Mont Ventoux at the Tour de France 🥹🇫🇷
Hear from @soudalquickstep‘s Team Manager Jurgen Foré and Ilan Van Wilder after Valentin Paret-Peintre’s iconic Stage 16 victory.
_____________
🇫🇷 #TDF2025 pic.twitter.com/UiQC0dzc6y— Velon CC (@VelonCC) July 22, 2025
