Full 2025 Tour de France schedule: Dates, stages, start times and how to watch

The wait is almost over. The flagship race of the Grand Tour calendar is almost here, as the best cyclists in the world get set to take part in the 2025 Tour de France.

Every edition of the Tour is special in its own way. But there's good reason to believe that this might be the most spectacular yet, as Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard — the two best riders of their era, who have battled it out in France in each of the past four years — are set to square off once again. Add in a remarkably deep field of sprinters and a typically spectacular course, and you've got the makings of a race to remember.

How can you get set to enjoy all the action? Read on for full schedule details as well as information on how to watch every moment of all 21 stages.

Full Tour de France schedule: Stage dates, times, length and locations

The Tour de France gets underway on Saturday, July 5, with Stage 1 starting at 6:30 a.m. ET. The first stage will likely be a bunch sprint, a 185-km loop beginning and ending in Lille near the northern tip of the country. A relatively flat course, there likely won't be enough adversity to break up the peloton unless the wind really starts whipping off the coast. The sprint specialists will be going for a stage victory, will the overall favorites will just be looking to avoid disaster.

That will be the first of a total of 21 stages over the next three weeks, making a counter-clockwise circle around France before the concluding ride into Paris on July 27. Below is the full schedule, complete with start times and stage routes.

Of course, that's a lot of information to parse. But what's it all mean? Here's everything you need to know about what defines each stage of the Tour de France.

What are the mountain stages of the Tour de France?

Each Tour de France always includes a ride through the mountains, typically towards the end of the race when the course swings to the southeast and heads into the Pyrenees and the French Alps. This year is no different — in fact, it might be the most grueling tour yet.

There will be six mountain stages in all this year: 10, the traditional Bastille Day ride through the Massif Central; 12 and 14, up into the Pyrenees; and 16, arguably the nastiest climb of the entire race, and then two brutal Alpine climbs in 18 and 19. These will often be the stages that determine who wins and loses, as the leaders separate from the peloton and attempt to make their charge while the less well-rounded riders fade.

Of course, the mountains also present their own competition: the race to hold the polka-dot jersey and be dubbed "King of the Mountains", an honor awarded to the rider who amasses the most points on mountain stages. First adopted in 1975, it might not be quite as cherished as the yellow jersey, but it's a remarkable achievement in its own right.

What are the time trial stages of the Tour de France?

In addition to seven flat stages, six hilly stages and six mountain stages, there will also be two time trials in this year's Tour de France. In time trials, each rider will navigate a set course alone, one after another, with the rider that records the fastest time declared the stage winner. In that way, it's cycling's purest test, with no peloton around to offer assistance.

This year, the time trials will be held in Stage 5, a flat ride on the wide roads northeast of Caen, and in Stage 13, straight uphill in the Pyrenees.

How to watch the Tour de France: Full TV schedule and streaming info

So, how can you make sure you catch every moment of this year's Tour de France? The entire race will be available on either Peacock, NBC or both. Peacock will have live coverage of every stage, with NBC joining in for Stages 1 and 20. Here's the full broadcast schedule.

Peacock does require a subscription to stream the Tour. There are two tiers available: The premium plan runs you $5.99 a month or $59.99 annually, while the premium plus plan, which limits the advertisements you see, costs $11.99 a month or $119.99 annually.