Tour de Suisse 2025 - Prediction

Tour de Suisse 2025: The Alternative Road to the Tour de France?

The 2025 Tour de Suisse is just around the corner and promises once again to deliver a thrilling spectacle in the heart of the Alps. From June 15 to 22, riders will face eight varied stages, ranging from hilly terrain to a demanding mountain time trial on the final day. While many Tour de France contenders prefer the Critérium du Dauphiné as their main preparation, often followed by a final altitude training camp, what does that mean for this race? Who are the key contenders lining up in Switzerland? And what can we expect from the route?

The Route: Eight Days of Alpine Spectacle

The 88th edition of the Tour de Suisse may not be packed with iconic Alpine summit finishes above 2,000 meters, but that doesn’t make the route any less demanding. On the contrary—this year’s climbs are long, unpredictable, and often strategically placed. A few of them stand out as decisive.

Stage four brings the peloton to the Splügen Pass, a climb that rises to 2,113 meters above sea level. It stretches over 8.6 kilometers with an average gradient of 7.3%, though some sections ramp up to over 9%. The summit comes 47 kilometers before the finish, leaving room for a tactical descent into Piuro, the Italian host town making its debut in the race.

Stage five is the queen stage and arguably the toughest of the week. It opens with the Julier Pass, a 14.8-kilometer ascent averaging 6%, topping out at 2,288 meters. That’s followed by the San Bernardino Pass, a long and steady climb of 25 kilometers at an average of 5.5%, reaching 2,066 meters. This year, the race organizers have chosen this pass to host a special mountain sprint in memory of Gino Mäder, who tragically lost his life during the 2023 edition. Traditionally, this prize is awarded at the highest point of the race, but this year, the symbolism of this location takes precedence.

Finally, the race concludes with a mountain time trial to Stockhütte. It may only be 10.1 kilometers long, but with 834 meters of elevation gain and an average gradient of 8.3% (peaking at 13%) it’s a brutal finale. It’s the kind of climb where the general classification can still be turned upside down in the final moments.

The Favorites: João Almeida vs. the Rest?

João Almeida enters the Tour de Suisse 2025 as the clear favorite for the overall win. His climbing consistency and time trial strength make him the man to beat. But the start list features several other intriguing names—riders who are not only aiming for a strong result here, but also looking to fine-tune their form ahead of the Tour de France. One of the most notable challengers is Ben O’Connor, who finished fourth in last year’s Tour de France. Now riding for Team Jayco AlUla, the Australian will be eager to test his legs and show his new team that he’s ready to fight for another top result in July. This race offers the perfect proving ground. Interestingly, O’Connor’s former team, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, brings Felix Gall to the start. The Austrian climber now gets the opportunity to lead the team himself and will be keen to seize that role with a strong performance in the mountains. Another name to watch is Oscar Onley. The young Brit cracked the top 10 here last year and will be aiming to repeat, or even improve that result. With his team, Picnic–PostNL, battling for valuable UCI points in the relegation fight, every result counts.