Frenchman Valentin Paret-Peintre Takes Victory atop Mont Ventoux Thriller

In a dramatic showdown that had fans on the edge of their seats, French cyclist Valentin Paret-Peintre of Soudal Quick-Step claimed a stunning victory atop the legendary Mont Ventoux during Stage 16 of the Tour de France

Paret-Peintre outpaced Ben Healy of EF Education-EasyPost in a gripping uphill finale, marking a moment of national pride as France celebrated its first stage win in this year’s Tour.

The 171.5 km stage, which began in the southern city of Montpellier, culminated in an intense ascent to the summit of Mont Ventoux, soaring to an altitude of 1,910 meters. The stage was characterized by fierce competition, with Tadej Pogacar, the defending champion, maintaining his grip on the yellow jersey while fending off relentless attacks from rival Jonas Vingegaard.

Pogacar demonstrated remarkable defensive prowess as he shadowed Vingegaard’s aggressive moves throughout the climb. The Slovenian cyclist, who is on the verge of securing his fourth Tour de France title, managed to extend his overall lead by two seconds, now sitting 4:15 ahead of Vingegaard after an exhilarating sprint in the final stretch.

As the race unfolded, Vingegaard launched a series of brutal attacks, aiming to shake off Pogacar. However, the Slovenian proved unyielding, countering Vingegaard's efforts with determination. Florian Lipowitz, who struggled to keep pace with the front-runners, remained in third place, 9:03 behind, while Oscar Onley of Great Britain trailed by 2:01 in fourth.

"It's an incredible feeling to win on such an iconic mountain," said Paret-Peintre after his victory. "Mont Ventoux is a place of legends, and to be able to cross the finish line first here is a dream come true. I wanted to make my country proud, and I hope this victory inspires more French riders in the future."

The significance of this win is amplified by the fact that it has been 40 years since a French rider last celebrated victory in the Tour de France, a title last held by Bernard Hinault in 1985. As the race approaches its conclusion, with the final stage set to take place on the Champs-Élysées, the question remains whether France will see its drought continue or if Paret-Peintre’s victory will herald a new era for French cycling.

As the excitement builds for the final stages of the Tour de France, cycling fans around the world are eagerly anticipating the showdown between Pogacar and Vingegaard. With the yellow jersey firmly in Pogacar’s grasp, the stakes are higher than ever.

VIDEO: 2025 Tour de France Stage 16 Finish

2025 Tour de France Stage 16 Top 10

1   Paret-Peintre Valentin Soudal Quick-Step 210 04:03:19
2   Healy Ben EF Education-EasyPost 150 + 00
3   Buitrago Santiago Bahrain Victorious 110 + 04
4   Van Wilder Ilan Soudal Quick-Step 90 + 14
5   Pogacar Tadej UAE Team Emirates-XRG 70 + 43
6   Vingegaard Jonas Team Visma | Lease a Bike 55 + 45
7   Mas Enric Movistar Team 45 + 53
8   Alaphilippe Julian Tudor Pro Cycling Team 40 + 01:17
9   Roglic Primoz Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe 35 + 01:51
10   Lipowitz Florian Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe 30 + 01:53

2025 Tour de France GC after Stage 16

1 Pogacar Tadej UAE Team Emirates-XRG 58:24:46
2 Vingegaard Jonas Team Visma | Lease a Bike + 04:15
3 Lipowitz Florian Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe + 09:03
4 Onley Oscar Team Picnic PostNL + 11:04
5 Roglic Primoz Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe + 11:42
6 Vauquelin Kévin ARKEA-B&B HOTELS + 13:20
7 Gall Felix Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team + 14:50
8 Johannessen Tobias Halland Uno-X Mobility + 17:01
9 Healy Ben EF Education-EasyPost + 17:52
10 Rodriguez Carlos INEOS Grenadiers + 20:45