Because in 2025 the Great Departure of Tour de France will be held in Lille and Hauts-de-France, nothing more logical than to highlight on Cyclism’Actu l’Association “Hauts de France Terre de Vélos” sponsored by Laurent Wlodarskiformer professional runner, born in Avion (62) professional in a team in the North (Cédico) on bikes made in the North (Cycles Leleu). On September 22, the association organized the 2nd edition of La Ch'ti Retro Bike in Forest-sur-Marque, as part of Heritage Days with numerous activities. It made it possible to discover the paved areas of Paris-Roubaix. The refueling took place at the Roubaix Vélodrome and the participants had the opportunity to visit the Paris-Roubaix museum and showers. In 2025, La Ch'ti Retro Bike will take place on September 14, still in Forest-sur-Marque. Little indiscretion Cyclism’Actu… l’Association “Hauts de France Terre de Vélos” will also be present and highlighted at Lille during the Great Departure of Tour de France 2025. In the meantime… La Ch'ti Retro Bikethe first Vintage Bike Ride in Hauts-de-France, it’s on video.
Video – La Ch'ti Vélo Rétro, the 1st Vintage Bike Ride in the North
While waiting for the Grand Départ of the 2025 Tour de France…
We know that Hauts-de-France is a great Cycling region. By its events, by its champions, by its mass cycling events, by its professional teams. But also by the numerous cycle manufacturers who have existed in the region (Bertin, Dangre, Delcroix, Leleu, Motobécane, Nord France, etc….). Today manufacturers in the region are rare but there are still some (Origine, O2 Feel).
L’Association “Hauts de France Terre de Vélos“ do you know? Its aim is to promote and enhance the industrial (past and future) and sporting heritage of cycling in Hauts de France. Its aim is to bring together, in a Bicycle House, collectors of cycling objects and bicycles, lovers of old or current bicycles and the former or current or future industrial activity of cycling in Hauts de France. The association is therefore also the organizer of the first Rando Vélo Vintage in Hauts-de-France: La Ch'ti Retro Bike which now takes place every year in Forest-sur-Marque.
Looking forward to July 2025…
We have known this since the end of 2023… the Hauts-de-France Region, the Nord Department and the European Metropolis of Lille will host the Grand Départ of the 112th edition of the Tour de France ! And the details of this Grand Départ, as well as the route of the first three stages which make it up, were revealed during a press conference on Thursday November 30, 2023at the Salon Charles de Gaulle, within the Northern prefecture, in Lille. THE Tour will start on July 5, 2025 from Lille Metropolisand the first stage will also end at Lille. Despite passing through the Côte de Cassel, it is the sprinters who should have the pride of place. However, they will be in more difficulty on the 2nd day of racing with a rallying course Lauwin-Planque has Boulogne-Sur-Mer. But the fast men will once again have the pride of place on the 3rd stage, which will go from Valenciennes has Dunkirk.
The route of the first 3 stages:
– Saturday July 5, 2025 – Step 1 : Lille Métropole – Lille Métropole (185 km)
– Sunday July 6, 2025 – Step 2 : Lauwin-Planque – Boulogne-Sur-Mer (209 km)
– Monday July 7, 2025 – Step 3 : Valenciennes – Dunkirk (172 km)
A 1st stage for sprinters
For the 5th time, the Tour de France will start from this cycling land, cradle of Paris-Roubaix. In 2001 for the last Grand Départ, in Dunkirk, Christophe Moreau wore yellow at the end of the prologue. This time, on a straight stage, the battle for the first Yellow Jersey will be played out at high speed and it will be a great day to win on the land of the Giants. The European Metropolis of Lille, the first reception site for this Grand Départ, will also be the place of its first arrival. On this stage, which loops around Lille, the wind will be a determining factor: on exposed roads, you will need to be vigilant to avoid getting trapped. The battle for the best climber jersey should be there, as a curtain-raiser to that for the Yellow Jersey: the hills of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, Mont Cassel (on its cobbled side) and Mont Noir , around forty kilometers from the finish will be the objectives of the first escapees of this edition. The sprinters will probably compete for victory at the end of a straight line of one kilometer, at the foot of the citadel.
2nd and 3rd stages, hills and wind
The next day, the peloton will leave the Nord department for a crossing of Pas-de-Calais and a tough finale on the Côte d'Opale before aiming for victory in the stage in Boulogne-sur-Mer. Made for punchers, the finale of this second stage ensures a difficult life for the winner of the day before if he is a pure sprinter. Beyond an uphill final straight line, the hills of Saint-Etienne-au-Mont and Outreau, located less than ten kilometers from the finish, promise to make the selection between the strong ones in the peloton.
Return to the Nord department on Monday July 7, for the last stage traced entirely in the Hauts-de-France region. Between Valenciennes and Dunkirk, vigilance and tension in the peloton should be required. The departure from Valenciennes and the first part of the stage do not present any particular difficulty, unlike the finish towards Dunkirk which can prove extremely tricky. After the intermediate sprint at Isbergues, well known to cycling fans, the course due north towards the coast of Cassel then the finish of the stage promises a spectacle if the wind joins the party. Tuesday July 8, in Amiens, historic capital of Picardy, it will be time for the Tour to leave Hauts-de-France.
In short, an event that the local Adrien Petit (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) does not want to miss out as he explained on the microphone of Cyclism’Actu. “It’s a great goal, a great pride to have a Grand Départ in your region, it’s something enormous. I still have two years of contract, so I will still be a cyclist in 2025. For me, Usually, the Tour de France is not an end in itself, because it is very difficult, but in 2025 I will do my best to be able to put the wheels on it.”says “the Bison”. “When you are not a climber, the Tour is not easy, but having done it 5 times, I have always finished it. I would like to return in 2025, with a Grand Départ from me, stages on my training routes… it's definitely a big goal and I'll make sure to be there.”
