No surprises on the Grand Colombier
# No Surprises on the Grand Colombier: A Tough Day for Groupama-FDJ
The long-anticipated third stage of the 2025 Tour de l’Ain saw familiar faces among the best riders, as they tackled the challenging routes of the Grand Colombier. Despite a spirited effort from Lorenzo Germani, the Groupama-FDJ team struggled to make a significant impact on the steep ascent, ultimately leading to a disappointing outcome.
The stage, marked by excessive climbs totaling 3,000 meters of elevation gain over a distance of 130 kilometers, featured two challenging ascents: the Col de la Biche (6 km at 9.2%) and the formidable Col du Grand Colombier (15.3 km at 7.8%). The Groupama-FDJ team needed to assert themselves early after not being in contention during the previous stage towards Lélex Monts-Jura. Germani’s strategy included joining a breakaway of approximately ten riders, which notably included the yellow jersey holder, Nicolas Prodhomme.
“We tried to anticipate in order to get over the two big climbs with a bit of a head start, but it turned out that Visma-Lease a Bike decided to make things hard at the foot of the Col de la Biche, so the gap wasn’t enough,” explained Yvon Caër, the team’s sports director. This breakaway found itself unable to gain a significant lead due to the presence of the race leader, ultimately being caught before the penultimate climb.
In the final stretches leading to the Grand Colombier, Germani joined a chasing group. However, the ride was intense, and the dynamics shifted drastically when Visma-Lease increased the pace towards the bottom of the climb. The group of seven riders shattered with Cian Uijtdebroeks launching a decisive attack nearly fifty kilometers from the finish. The young Belgian finished solo, while Germani crossed the line seventeen minutes later in nineteenth position overall.
Reflecting on the team’s performance, Yvon Caër stated, “The others did what they could, but honestly, we weren’t in a position to have an impact and be in the game on these hard stages.” He acknowledged the team’s letdown but emphasized the importance of learning from the experience: “We obviously expected better in the mountains, we’re disappointed, but that’s also high-level sport. We have to accept this poor performance, analyse it, and look ahead.”
Despite the struggles of the latter stages, Caër highlighted the positive memories from the tour, reminding everyone of the “wonderful first stage, with Tom’s victory and the great collective work that we saw that day.” As the riders reflect on this challenging experience, they know the path to success lies ahead, armed with the lessons learned from the Grand Colombier.
