Tour de France 2025 live: Stage 21 route and updates today with Tadej Pogacar set to be crowned in Paris

80km to go: No rain at the moment, but the roads are very wet from showers earlier on, and there’s some more wet weather expected this afternoon.

Jonas Rickaert, who floated off the front, is brought back.

86km to go: The riders have gone past Versailles and are now onto the day’s second categorised climb, the cat-four Côte du Pavé des Gardes (0.7km at 7.7%). UAE lead the peloton as they roll over the top, very gently. That’s the final climb before the finishing circuit and it comes shortly before we enter Paris.

The polka-dot jersey belongs firmly on Tadej Pogacar’s shoulders, although he’s not wearing it today. Vingegaard is wearing it for him, which must be annoying.

Official communication from the Tour organisers:

“Due to slippery roads on shady spots in Montmartre, it has been decided, in accordance with the commissaires of the UCI and representatives of teams and riders, to stop the time at the 4th passage on the finish line – i.e. before the three laps featuring the Côte de la Butte Montmartre.”

So that minimises the jeopardy for the GC riders, who just need to get to that fourth passage of the Champs-Elysees to be safe. It’s probably the sensible decision, especially given several riders – Vingegaard most notably – have criticised the inclusion of Montmartre and the extra stress it adds to a finish which is already one of the most stressful in cycling.

97km to go: UAE remain on the front in their special edition kits, although Pogacar has slipped back.

The riders are heading towards the beautiful Palace of Versailles, which the helicopters are panning over at the moment. Pics if and when we get them.

The fans are out in force in and around Montmartre, umbrellas at the ready.

104km to go: Pogacar is spending a lot of time on the front so far, the first man on the road and fully in the wind. That doesn’t seem like the behaviour of a man who wants to win today.

There’s been lots of discussion about him attacking on Montmartre – could he instead be working for a teammate today? Perhaps Jhonatan Narvaez?

111km to go: There’s been plenty of chat about the stage potentially being neutralised today (in terms of general classification times) in case of rain, which is expected in Paris this afternoon and will turn the cobbles treacherously slick.

Decathlon come over the radio to say rain is expected before they get to Paris.

118km to go: Benjamin Thomas and Matteo Vercher have a laugh recreating their crash on the cobbles on a KOM very early in this Tour. Vercher wasn’t very happy at the time but can see the funny side now.

Vingegaard and all the Danish riders get a photo together too, and now UAE come onto the front to pick up the pace a little.

121km to go: The photo ops continue and Arkea lead onto the first climb at an incredibly slow pace. It’s the Côte de Bazemont (1.7km at 7%).

The photo below shows Montmartre, which is already packed with fans, ready for its appearance later.

125km to go: After Pogacar and UAE, the other teams take their turns to roll onto the front for celebratory photo ops. Jonathan Milan celebrates with his Lidl-Trek teammates before the white jersey of Florian Lipowitz and his squad hit the front.

129km to go: The stage begins but the racing does not. Everyone takes this at a very relaxed pace. UAE are given a wide berth up the front and could, if they fancied a laugh, go into team time-trial mode and just power away from everyone. They decide not to do that.

Jayco-AlUla’s Luke Plapp rides over to compatriot Kaden Groves and gives him a high five for his stage win yesterday. Lots of mirth and merriment in these opening few kilometres. Florian Lipowitz is wearing a white jacket over his white jersey that’s ballooned up so much it looks like he’s wearing shoulder pads.