Col de La Madeleine - Tour de France

The Col de la Madeleine, legendary theatre of the Tour de France

Nestled in the French Alps at an altitude of 2,000 meters, the Col de la Madeleine is one of the most emblematic passages of the Tour de France. Climbed for the first time in 1969, it has become a judge of the peace feared by the riders. With its steep slopes sometimes reaching 10%, it has often been the scene of great battles between climbers. Cycling legends have shone there, such as Lucien Van Impe, who took the lead in 1979, or Miguel Indurain and Richard Virenque. More recently, in 2010, it was Anthony Charteau who crossed the pass in first position, while the 2020 passage saw David de la Cruz shine in a high mountain stage. Both feared and admired, the Col de la Madeleine symbolises the wild beauty and extreme difficulty of the Tour in its alpine version.

Double rendezvous at the Col de la Madeleine in 2025: a unique event

The year 2025 will mark a historic first for the Col de la Madeleine: it will be crossed twice, by the men's Tour de France and the Women's Tour de France. The men's peloton will face the Madeleine during the 17th stage, scheduled for July 16, in a particularly demanding alpine route that will link Albertville to Valloire. Two days later, on July 18, it will be the turn of the riders of the Tour de France Femmes to tackle this legendary pass during the 6th stage. This double passage underlines the growing equality between men's and women's competitions and highlights the importance of the pass in the history of cycling. Both stages promise spectacular moments, with potentially decisive gaps in the fight for the respective yellow jerseys.