The Tour de France regulations are enriched with important innovations for the 2025 edition, with changes that could have a significant impact on the outcome of the race.

The main new feature is the extension of the so-called '3km rule', which guarantees the same time as the peloton to riders who fall or have mechanical problems in the final stages. For seven stages, this protection will be extended to 5km from the finish, including the sprinters' sections - stages 1, 3, 9 and 15 with the finish in Lille, Dunkirk, Châteauroux and Carcassonne respectively - plus stages 4, 17 and 21 with the finish in Laval, Valence and Paris.

The UCI justified this decision by highlighting the increasing presence of traffic-slowing elements (speed bumps, narrowings, etc.) in urban areas near the finish lines, which represent potential dangers for the peloton. The change is intended to reduce pressure on the riders in the crucial phases preceding the final sprints.

Another significant change is the elimination of sprints with intermediate bonuses that were present in four stages in 2024. The classic arrival bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds for the first three classified remain confirmed.

These regulation changes could prove decisive in the event of a particularly tight general classification, influencing the teams' strategies and the management of the stages by the riders interested in the yellow jersey.

Sprint Cycling Photo