Van Aert is an all-around rider who can sprint (won the 2022 green jersey), climb (often a key worker for Vingegaard), time trial (Olympic bronze medalist) and excel in one-day races (second in the road race at the Olympics and worlds). In 2025, van Aert was second at cyclo-cross worlds, fourth at Paris-Roubaix and then helped Yates win the Giro.

Stage 7 unfolds across a picturesque expanse of northwestern France, starting in the historic port city of Saint-Malo and winding its way through the departments of Ille-et-Vilaine and Côtes-d'Armor.

It then heads towards the Pyrenees via the Massif Central, with three back-to-back mountain tests in the south of France on stages 12, 13 and 14. There is then the return of Mont Ventoux, before the Tour heads to an Alpine conclusion, with 5,500m of elevation tackled on stage 18 to Courchevel, the most of next year's race.