Cycling in Yorkshire & Beyond
Cycling in Yorkshire & Beyond
Stage 11 | Stage 12 | Stage 13
Stage 12 of the Tour de France 2025 is a 180.6km mountain stage from Auch to Hautacam.
This is a GC day which features climbs of the Col du Soulor and the Col de Bordères.
The final climb to Hautacam is 13.5km at 7.8%, and it's where Vingegaard won on Stage 18 of the 2022 Tour.
This is the race report for Stage 12 Tour de France 2025.
These are video highlights of Stage 12.
Race Details | Poll | Map & Profile | Timings | Videos | Food & Drink | Route Notes | Favourites
| Date | Thursday 17th July 2025 |
|---|---|
| Stage classification | Mountain |
| Distance | 180.6km |
| Intermediate sprint | Bénéjacq |
| Climbs | Côte de Labatmale (Cat. 4) Col du Soulor (Cat. 1) Col des Bordères (Cat. 2) Hautacam (HC) |
| Total climbing | 3,850m |
Vote for one of the main contenders to win Stage 12.
This is a map of the route of Stage 12, Tour de France 2025.
This is a zoom-able map of Stage 12 Tour de France 2025.
This is the profile of Stage 12 Tour de France 2025.
| Caravan | Fast Schedule | Slow Schedule | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start Time (départ fictif) | 1110 |
1310 |
1310 |
| Start Time (départ réel) | 1125 |
1325 |
1325 |
| Bénéjacq Intermediate Sprint | 1342 |
1530 |
1542 |
| Col du Soulor Climb | 1452 |
1632 |
1652 |
| Col de Bordères Climb | 1510 |
1648 |
1710 |
| Finish Line (180.6km) | 1558 |
1732 |
1758 |
This is a video of the route of Stage 12 Tour de France 2025.
Jonas Vingegaard won at Hautacam on Stage 18 of the 2022 Tour de France.
Tourmalet cheese is a Pyrenean speciality. It is made from the milk of sheep which graze near the Col du Tourmalet. It's chewy, with a nutty taste. It goes well with Madiran wine, or a white Viognier.
We'll stick with the Madiran wine suggested for yesterday's Toulouse stage. It is a local red wine made from Tannat and other grapes.
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The stage starts in Auch (départ fictif).
Stage 12 starts in Auch. It is the capital of the Gers département. The Gers is also the river that runs through it.
The name of the town comes from the Ausci tribe who lived here before the Romans came. The Romans called the settlement Augusta Auscorum.
Auch was damaged in 732 by Abdul Rahman's Muslim army from Spain. Rahman was defeated the same year at the Battle of Tours.
The Cathédrale Sainte-Marie is one of the sights of Auch.
Another is the Tour d'Artagnan and the statue of d'Artagnan - a character of Alexandre Dumas, based on Charles de Batz, Comte d'Artagnan.
Auch featured in the Tour de France in three consecutive years in the 1970s.
There were time trials in 1975 and 1976, and the finish of a road stage in 1977.
The racing starts soon after a fork in the road at Beaulieu, on the N21 south west of Auch (départ réel).
The first significant town on the route is Mirande.
Mirande is a C13th ville bastide on the left bank of the river Baïse. Like other bastide towns it has streets on a grid pattern. Originally, it had a castle, and it was surrounded by town walls with four entrance gates.
At Miélan the race route forks right, and there's a little climb to Laguian-Mazous. Stage 12 continues to Vic-en-Bigorre.
On minor roads, the race heads south south west via Saint-Lézer and Ger to Pontacq, on the river Ousse.
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Now the riders tackle the first categorised climb of the afternoon.
The Côte de Labatmale comes as the race leaves Pontacq and climbs away from the river towards the Cap Aguillou.
It is 1.3km at 6.3% to a height of 470m.
KOM competition: 1 point for 1st place.
The race descends to Bénéjacq.
Hot on the heels of the first climb comes the intermediate sprint at Bénéjacq, after 95.1km raced.
Green jersey competition: from 20 points for 1st place down to 1 point for 15th place.
The route continues west to the Gave de Pau at Coarraze. Then the riders go to Asson and past a Parc Zoologique on the D126 to Arthez-d'Asson.
Stage 12 continues south on the D126 to Ferrières.
Soon after, the second categorised climb of the day begins - the Col du Soulor.
The Col du Soulor is the start of the climbing proper at the back end of Stage 12.
One cyclist who did this climb says of the route via Ferrières:
'It's a less well-known way up to the Soulor. It starts in the forest and therefore in the shade. The climb is quite even but it can be windy. The last kilometres offer breathtaking views'.
The climb is 11.8km at an average 7.3%, to a height of 1,474m after 134.1km raced.
KOM competition: from 10 points for 1st place down to 1 point for 6th place.
The descent is to Arrens-Marsous, at 883m.
The climbing starts again straight away, up to the Col des Bordères.
The Col des Bordères is a 3.1km climb at an average 7.7%, to a height of 1,156m after 145.7km raced.
KOM competition: from 5 points for 1st place down to 1 point for 4th place.
Next there's a long descent to Argèles-Gazost.
'Gazost' refers to thermal waters, and according to the race organisers the waters here have something to do with phlebology, which is not in my vocabulary. If I visit, I think I'll stick to eating pastis, which in this case is not a drink but a cake.
At Argèles-Gazost the race crosses the Gave de Pau. The other side of the river it climbs to Ayros-Arbouix. This is the start of the final climb to Hautacam.
Stage 12 finishes with a climb to Hautacam.
The Hautacam climb is also known as the Col de Tramassel.
It has been described as an hors catégorie monster.
'There are ramps up to 16% and some long sections at 15%. The hardest part is the 6km after the village of Artalens'.
It is 13.5km at an average gradient of 7.8%, and the summit is at 1,520m.
KOM competition: from 20 points for 1st place down to 2 points for 8th place.
Green jersey competition: from 20 points for 1st place down to 1 point for 15th place.
Time bonuses at the finish:
Unless there's a new kid on the block, favourites for Stage 12 of the 2025 Tour de France will include Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar.
Who do you think will win Stage 12 of the 2025 Tour de France?
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