Staying in the north of France, stage three is a 178km run from Valenciennes to Dunkerque, with the finish line near the Calais coast. It’s a largely flat day in the saddle but for the return of the category-four climb of Mont Cassel, so important to the Tour’s organisers that they’ve included it twice, on both stage one and three.

Tadej Pogacar is the odds-on favourite to win a fourth yellow jersey after winning the Tour in 2020, 2021 and last year, when he beat two-time winner Jonas Vingegaard by over six minutes. Slovenia's world champion Tadej Pogacar won a third Tour de France title in 2024 and lines up as the overwhelming favourite.

Get real-time updates on Tour de France live coverage minute by minute of the race and result online, stream information, how to watch, TV channel, latest updates and time of the Stage 8 of 171,4 km between Saint-Méen-le-Grand and Laval Espace Mayenne with VAVEL.

The 112th Tour de France gets underway in Lille on Saturday. Here's a complete guide to one of sport's most prestigious events

The yellow jersey is expected to change hands in Boulogne-sur-Mer, with Philipsen having his work cut out to keep pace with the puncheurs and breakaway artists in the pack. But then Philipsen is no slouch over hills, and he will have a determined Alpecin-Deceuninck squad in support, so there really is any number of possible outcomes.

Tour de France kicks off on July 5 as the Grand Départ returns to France, with the peloton set to roll out from Lille after three foreign starts.

Ben Healy of EF Education-Easypost won a furiously-contested stage six at the 2025 Tour de France Thursday, attacking from a group of eight riders with 41 kilometers remaining and soloing to the finish in Vire Normandie.

The likes of Jasper Philipsen, Tim Merlier and Jonathan Milan are all set to do battle on a fast and furious opening to the Tour de France

Brent Bookwalter and Tejay Van Garderen preview the sprint-heavy Tour de France Stage 3 that favors Alpecin–Deceuninck's Jasper Philipsen and puts the Soudal-Quick Step team in a pinch.