8 Saddest DNFs of the 2025 Tour de France
When all is said and done, 24 riders dropped out of the Tour de France this year, leaving just 160 riders crossing the line in Paris.
The attrition rate this year is better than in 2024: last year, 35 riders abandoned before Stage 21. The number of abandons each year remind us just how intense the Tour de France is on the body, mind, and fortitude of these athletes. Not everyone makes it, and the reasons for abandoning can be just as long as the list of names.
Why so many DNFs?
Riders abandon the Tour de France for a multitude of reasons. The most common cause: crashes. The resultant injuries, broken bones, or concussions can make continuing unsafe or impossible. A close second is illness, like respiratory infections or stomach bugs. These also force withdrawals, both as DNSs along with mid-stage bailouts. The fatigue and exhaustion from three weeks of pushing a body to the limit is too much for some riders, and even without an inciting incident like a crash, they can decide to throw in the towel. Finally, riders can be disqualified. For example, missing a time cut on a stage will result in a DNF. There are a lot of factors that can prematurely end a rider’s dream of reaching Paris!
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Which DNFs hurt the most for the 2025 edition? Here are eight riders we wish could have made it to the Champs Elysees — and where they’re going from here.
Embed from Getty Images8. Bryan Coquard
If any one of our saddest DNFs should be admired for his tenacity, it’s Bryan Coquard. His Tour campaign got off to an unlucky start on Stage 3, where he was involved in a collision with Jasper Philipsen, earning a yellow card alongside ill will from the media and many fans. Then, on Stage 12, he broke his finger reaching out for a musette bag on the road side. Undeterred, Coquard pushed on to finish the stage — and lined up for the mountain time trial on Stage 13 the next day to boot!
After undergoing surgery on his finger, the Cofidis rider looks forward to a short recovery followed by late season racing. Whatever the future holds for him, he can be proud of his perseverance in the face of so much unluckiness. Better luck next year, Bryan!
Embed from Getty Images7. Enric Mas
Enric Mas’s 2025 Tour de France campaign ended prematurely due to a nagging leg issue that had bothered him from the start of the race, ultimately forcing abandonment on Stage 18. As a GC leader, he struggled with the pain that affected his performance. Even after switching to a breakaway strategy, he didn’t find much luck. His exit was simply a mirror of past Tour de France frustrations. We’re all waiting for the day when Mas finally comes into his own and starts notching some stage or overall wins… but, sadly enough, it wasn’t at the 2025 Tour.
Looking ahead, Mas has a clearer focus. He’s renewed his contract with Movistar until 2029, and his immediate goal will likely be a stronger showing at the Vuelta a España to make good on it. Mas boasts a much better track record at the Vuelta, with multiple podium finishes. A win in his home Grand Tour would be truly special, and will likely be his ambition for coming seasons. Good luck, Enric!
Embed from Getty Images6. João Almeida
Almeida’s Tour came to a screeching halt when he abandoned during Stage 9. This was on the heels of a crash on Stage 7 that left him lingering towards the back of the peloton suffering day after day. Struggling with a fractured rib and skin abrasions, it hurt to see this strong rider fighting through each day after the accident. He was intended to serve as a key mountain domestique for Tadej Pogačar, making his abandon a pretty major blow to UAE Team Emirates’ strategy as well. In a perfect world, Almeida was not only a support rider but also a potential GC backup, having finished strong last year’s Tour. Instead, he was packing home — with no chance to show us what he could do in the high mountains.
Following on from his recovery, Almeida is set to co-lead at the Vuelta a España with Juan Ayuso, giving his team two strong options for the GC. Almeida has a decent track record as a Grand Tour contender, and it will be awesome to see him target a podium finish or even a victory for himself. You’ve got this, João!
Embed from Getty Images5. Filippo Ganna
Ganna’s time in the Tour de France was cut far too short during Stage 1, as the very first abandon of the Tour. While we’re happy to see concussion protocols doing their job after his crash, we can’t help but think of what might have been. As a powerful time trialist, Ganna was a key rider for his team INEOS Grenadiers. He was likely targeting the Stage 5 individual time trial for a win against a relatively weak field. Despite that he attempted to continue after his crash, withdrawing was for the best.
Following this, Ganna’s immediate focus will likely be on fully recovering from the concussion. Looking ahead, we’re probably going to see him again this season. Will he be well enough to compete in the Vuelta a España starting in late August? All signs point to yes, although he isn’t on the start list just yet. He’ll also likely aim for some of the individual time trial contests through the end of the year. Whatever the case, hope to see you back on the TT bike soon, Pippo!
4. Mattias Skjelmose
Oh, Skjelmose. He kept his Tour campaign (first GC, then polka dot ambitions) going right up through Stage 14. He was hurt in a nasty solo crash after hitting some road furniture in a median island. Though thankfully he had no fractures, the Lidl-Trek rider still suffered a cut to his left arm and severe bruising, leaving him in poor shape to continue on. This was a disappointing conclusion for Skjelmose, who had entered the Tour hoping to build on a strong spring. His win at Amstel Gold Race showed that he could compete with the big dogs, but that dream ended far too soon.
While Skjelmose’s race schedule post-Tour is not yet public, he has previously stated that the Tour de France was his main priority for 2025. He will likely aim to rebuild form through some smaller races through the end of the year. We hope to see him at the Giro d’Italia in 2026 for a real GC campaign — that ends on a positive note this time. See you soon, Skjelly!
(On a lighter note: one of the cutest parts of the 2025 Tour was the nose strips decorated by Skjelmose’s girlfriend’s sister. Thank goodness he shared the remaining strips on Instagram after his crash so that we could all see them anyway!)
3. Mathieu van der Poel
A weird twist befell Alpecin-Deceuninck’s biggest star before Stage 16. Van der Poel had been experiencing cold-like symptoms for several days, but his condition worsened significantly, leading to a fever and subsequent medical tests confirming a case of pneumonia. He’d been having a ripper of a Tour despite it, winning Stage 2 and briefly wearing the yellow jersey (twice!), and was in strong contention for the green jersey. But his health was the bigger priority, so he took off for some immediate rest and recovery.
Following his withdrawal, Mathieu van der Poel is probably getting totally recovered and thinking about the rest of the season. While his road schedule is not set yet, don’t forget that we’re likely to see him in cyclocross this winter as well. There we’ll see him go up against the big names of that discipline and probably wipe the floor with them as one of cycling’s most talented all-rounders. He’s also continuing in mountain biking, often citing it as one of his top goals for the coming seasons. This strong showing at the Tour is just a cherry on top — see you soon, Mathieu!
Embed from Getty Images2. Jasper Philipsen
There’s no doubt: Philipsen had one of the nastiest crashes of the 2025 Tour de France. Skidding across the road on Stage 3 after a collision with other riders (including Bryan Coquard), it was horrible to see his green points leader’s jersey all ripped up. He abandoned due to a fractured collarbone and broken rib sustained in the crash and went through surgery. The Alpecin-Deceuninck sprinter had already won on Stage 1 and worn both the yellow and green jerseys, so seeing his successful year cut short was a blow for him, his team, and the fans and viewers.
Philipsen has already returned to Zwift, but he’ll probably prioritize a full recovery with time off the bike. We aren’t likely to see him at the Vuelta, but later season racing could still be possible. Philipsen is a consistent Grand Tour stage winner, one-day racer, and former green jersey winner, so this won’t hold him down for long. Looking forward to seeing you back at top form soon, Jasper!
1. Remco Evenepoel
Of all the abandons, Remco Evenepoel’s is one of the saddest by far. Many fans had very high hopes for his Tour de France, but everything ended in a heartbreaking abandonment on Stage 14, where Evenepoel fell to the back of the peloton and ultimately decided to get in the team car and give it up. His abandon stemmed from quite a few factors that he later outlined in a heartfelt Instagram post. He revealed a pre-existing fractured rib that he sustained at the Belgian National Championships and lingering illness that developed into sinusitis. The Soudal Quick-Step rider had been playing catch-up all season after a crash in December, which disrupted his winter training. Despite winning the flat ITT stage and holding on in GC, he revealed his body was “worn out” and “running low” even before the Tour began.
What will Remco do now? It appears he has no immediate return to racing, which is likely for the best. If he does get back on the bike for 2025, he may line up for the World Championships (both time trial and road race) or Il Lombardia. Then, in 2026, he has a big change coming — a possible move to his new rumored team, Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe.
The saddest part of Evenepoel’s abandon is that it came out of nowhere after a period of secret suffering. There’s no telling how long it may be before we see him back in competition.
Rest well, Remco. You deserve it.
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Which Tour de France abandon were you most disappointed to see this year? Which riders do you think are coming back stronger than ever? Let us know on social media or in the comments! ★
