Welcome to Stage 3 of the 2025 Tour de France Femmes, a flat 163.5 km journey from La Gacilly to Angers, tailor-made for the fast finishers. With minimal climbing and wide-open roads, the 1st proper sprint showdown of the race is finally here.
The only categorized climb of the day—the Côte de la Richardière—arrives early at kilometer 34.1. But at just 1.7 km long and averaging 4.6%, it will hardly trouble the peloton. Instead, it’s all about high speeds and tight lead-outs as the sprinters prepare to blast across the finish line on Boulevard Georges Clemenceau in Angers.
🗺️ Stage 3 Detailed Route & Map Breakdown
Route Overview:
Feature | Details |
|---|---|
Stage Type | Plat |
Date | Monday, July 28, 2025 |
Start Location | La Gacilly |
Finish Location | Angers |
Distance | 163.5 km |
Dénivelé positif | ~1,000 m |
Key Climb | Côte de la Richardière – 1.7 km at 4.6% (Cat 4) |
Intermediate Sprint | Vern-d’Anjou (km 122.4) |
Expected Finish | ~17:33 local time |
The Stage 3 route map tracks a calm, scenic roll east from Brittany’s La Gacilly, with only gentle undulations before the peloton hits top speed into Angers.
🕒 Stage 3 Timings & Key Locations
Emplacement | KM to Go | Caravan ETA | Peloton (Fast – 45km/h) | Peloton (Avg – 43km/h) | Peloton (Slow – 41km/h) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Start – La Gacilly | 163.5 | 11:50 | 13:50 | 13:50 | 13:50 |
Côte de la Richardière | 129.4 | 13:30 | 14:40 | 14:43 | 14:45 |
Bain-de-Bretagne | 127.5 | 13:33 | 14:43 | 14:45 | 14:48 |
Vern-d’Anjou (Sprint) | 41.1 | 15:39 | 16:38 | 16:46 | 16:54 |
Finish – Angers | 0 | 16:39 | 17:33 | 17:43 | 17:54 |
⏰ Neutralized Start: 13:50 local time
🏁 Expected Arrival: Between 17:33–17:54
🧭 Stage 3 Route Profile
- Monté: Côte de la Richardière – Cat 4
- Sprint: Vern-d’Anjou – 40km from finish
- Finition: Flat sprint into Angers
- Élévation: ~1,000m total
🥇 Sprint Points, Bonuses & KOMs
🟢 Green Jersey Sprint – Vern-d’Anjou
Position | Points |
|---|---|
1st | 25 pts |
2e | 20 pts |
3e | 17 pts |
… | … |
15th | 2 pts |
🔴 Polka Dot Points – Côte de la Richardière
Position | Points |
|---|---|
1st | 2 pts |
2e | 1 pt |
⏱️ Time Bonuses at the Finish
Position | Bonus Time |
|---|---|
1st | 10 seconds |
2e | 6 seconds |
3e | 4 seconds |
🌟 Stage 3 Favorites
With nearly flat roads from start to finish, pure sprinters are finally licking their chops. Expect high speeds, aggressive lead-outs, and timing that must be pixel-perfect.
🏆 Top Contenders:
- Charlotte Kool – Double sprint winner in 2024; thrives in drag races.
- Lorena Wiebes – If she gets clean air, she’s nearly unbeatable.
- Chiara Consonni – Fast-finisher with growing Tour experience.
- Marianne Vos – Still dangerous in select sprints when positioning is perfect.
- Emma Norsgaard – Could surprise if chaos hits the final kilometer.
🔥 Fun fact: All of these guys ended up either winning the Tour or finishing runner-up.
🗣️ What the Race Director Says
“After racing on country roads with no significant difficulties, the riders are very likely to serve up a bunch sprint for the fans in Angers.”
– Marion Rousse, Race Director
📺 How to Watch Stage 3 Live
- Heure de début: 7:55 AM (Eastern) / 13:50 (Local)
- Estimated Finish: 11:43 AM (Eastern) / 17:33 (Local)
🌍 Platforms:
- EU: France TV Sport, Eurosport, GCN+
- US & Canada: Peacock, FloBikes
- Australia: SBS On Demand
- Worldwide: 👉 Watch Tour de France Femmes Stage 3 Live Updates
📱 Official Hashtag: #TDFF2025Stage3
Stage 3 – Calm Before the Climbing Storm?
Tour de France Femmes 2025 Stage 3 is built for speed, strategy, and sprint supremacy. The GC contenders will likely stay hidden, while sprint teams sharpen their lead-out trains for a thrilling finale in Angers. It may not be the most dramatic day on the route—but in sprint stages, the last 500 meters can deliver fireworks.
