Local heroes of the 2025 Tour de France
Every year, the Tour de France is one of the biggest celebrations in (French) cycling. But for a few riders in the peloton, the party is happening right at home.
Damien Touzé
Let’s go back to the opening days of the Tour de France. Jasper Philipsen won the first stage and took the first yellow jersey, remember? It was a day when all Belgians felt right at home in the Tour. But one French rider from Cofidis must’ve felt the same on the roads of northern France, even if he’s now more or less half-Belgian.
Damien Touzé was the first régional de l’étape of the 2025 Tour. Although born in Normandy, Touzé now lives just over the Belgian border, in the town of Ploegsteert, famously also the hometown of Frank Vandenbroucke. And that’s no coincidence: Touzé is now distantly related to the Vandenbroucke family.
He’s in a relationship with Julia Six, sister of former pro cyclist Franklin Six. Franklin and Julia, in turn, are the nephew and niece of Frank VdB. The family tree is a bit complex, but the cycling connection is real. And so, for Damien Touzé, this Grand Départ was extra special, right near the Belgian border and just a few kilometres from his adopted hometown of Ploegsteert.
Matis Louvel
A few days later, it was Matis Louvel’s turn to be greeted by family. The Israel - Premier Tech rider lives in Bosc-Édeline, a small village along the Seine. During stage 4, the Tour passed right by, and Louvel’s loyal supporters were there to cheer him on. His family then welcomed him at the finish in Rouen.
The stage had several points to honour French legend Jacques Anquetil, for example, the Côte Jacques Anquetil, which came 50 kilometres from the finish. Fun fact: Louvel was born in Mont-Saint-Aignan, and so was Jacques Anquetil. Big shoes to fill.
Kévin Vauquelin
The new chouchou of French cycling also got his turn as régional de l’étape. Kévin Vauquelin - still in the top 10 of the general classification - is adored by the French public, and that love peaked on stages 5 and 6.
Vauquelin hails from Bayeux, the start town of stage 6. The Tour de France passed just 500 metres from his front door, a once-in-a-lifetime experience for any rider. And when the French public dreams of greatness, they shout your name.
The time trial in Caen was another unforgettable moment, or more accurately, an unforgettable sound. As the Arkéa - B&B Hotels rider rolled off the start ramp, the entire crowd chanted his name. The celebrations continued in Bayeux, with locals lining the streets for their hometown hero Vauquelin. They even prepared a hot air balloon with his face on it! I don't think many people can say that...
Ewen Costiou
There are plenty of riders in the Tour peloton born in Bretagne, not to mention the many staff members. The list is far too long to name them all, but one rider in particular made a name for himself on the road to Mûr-de-Bretagne.
After spending the entire day in the breakaway, Ewen Costiou of Arkéa - B&B Hotels gave it everything he had to lead the race on the finish climb during the first passage. His effort was rewarded with the combativity award.
A young Breton on the podium of the Tour de France, after the "queen stage" of Bretagne, it doesn’t get better than that.
Aurélien & Valentin Paret-Peintre, Bastien Tronchon and Alex Baudin
Near the end of the Tour, the race passes through the backyard of Aurélien and Valentin Paret-Peintre, Bastien Tronchon, and Alex Baudin. All four riders are from the heart of the Alps and live around Lac du Bourget, near Chambéry or Aix-les-Bains. It will be something to look forward to, especially during the brutal final week of the Tour.
Valentin Paret-Peintre will be expected to support Soudal Quick-Step team leader Remco Evenepoel in the final mountain stages, while his brother Aurélien and Bastien Tronchon of Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team will be riding in service of Felix Gall. The Paret-Peintre brothers and Tronchon will certainly enjoy the local support, but it’s unlikely they’ll get a chance to chase personal glory in the Alps.
Things might be different for Alex Baudin. His EF Education - EasyPost team is already having a great Tour, especially now with Ben Healy in yellow, and the Alpine terrain could offer Baudin a chance to shine. Extra motivation: the last stage in the Alps begins in Albertville, where he was born.
Later in the race, during the final stage across the Jura mountains, several riders will again be racing close to home. The route passes near the hometown of Clément Berthet, and Romain Grégoire comes from Besançon. With such a favourable course, both riders will surely be tempted to attack.
Benjamin Thomas
But that’s for later this Tour, as we haven’t talked about today’s régional de l’étape yet. For Benjamin Thomas, the rest day likely felt even more special than the rest of the peloton. The Cofidis rider spent the day with his family, and they didn’t have to travel far. The Thomas family lives in Lavaur, just 50 kilometres from Toulouse, where the Tour de France rested yesterday.
Today’s stage, starting and finishing in Toulouse, will feel like a home race. Could that be the spark he needs to launch into the breakaway? The stage starts flat but ends with some steep climbs. It could be too tough for pure sprinters, so the right breakaway might have a chance. With a little extra motivation on local roads, you never know what could be possible.
