A revamped finish
September 12 th 2025 - 16:00
- The 119th edition of Paris-Tours will be held on October 12. A press conference unveiling a brand-new trophy promised to the winner was held at Tours City Hall. The details of the 2025 route were also announced.
- Before the rematches and final showdowns among the classics specialists, the peloton will line up for the tenth time in Chartres for a total distance of 211.6 km (vs. 213.8 km in 2024). Nine climbs, as well as nine vineyard tracks, are spread across the final third of the race, with the finish altered to bring the line closer to the last challenges. After the Avenue de Grammont, which had hosted the finish since 1988, the last pedal strokes will now be given on Boulevard Béranger, still just steps away from Tours City Hall.
- For the same reason, the Paris-Tours Espoirs route will also see a slight reduction: the under-23 race will start in Bonneval and cover 176.5 km to the finish (vs. 178.9 km in 2024).
Classics riders are rarely satisfied, they thrive on late-season opportunities. That mindset has long defined the champions of Paris-Tours, a race traditionally contested at the tail end of the calendar since 1951. On the “classic of the falling leaves,” perseverance is rewarded twice over: a victory crowns both the rider’s ability to hold peak form until the final weekend of the year and the determination to seize the decisive moment. Once a favored hunting ground for pure sprinters, the race took on a new dimension in 2018 with the introduction of vineyard tracks, adding layers of physical and tactical complexity. While a sharp sprint remains crucial at the finish, race craft must also shine on the climbs and unpaved roads that dominate the final 70 kilometers.
The first off-road section appears 65.4 km from the line, 800 meters of either mud or dust depending on the weather, immediately after the Côte de Limeray. In all, riders will face nine short climbs that can serve as springboards, along with 9.5 km of vineyard paths divided into nine sectors. The final one comes just before the Côte de Rochecorbon, often the launchpad for decisive attacks. This sequence could prove even more influential this year, with the finish moved two kilometers closer to the last ascent. Entering Tours, the route now runs straight toward City Hall, with the finish set on Boulevard Béranger after an 800-meter straight, a finale every bit as imposing as the legendary Avenue de Grammont.
