Tour de France: Stage six - Healy claims solo win while Van der Poel regains yellow jersey

BBC News

10-07-2025

Update:
Date: 17:14 BST
Title: Au revoir
Content: That's it from today's stage, which saw a stunning solo victory by Ben Healy.
After spending most of the day in an eight-man breakaway, the 24-year-old Irishman attacked with about 42km remaining to claim the first Tour de France stage win of his career.
Do join us again on Friday from about 12:00 BST for live text coverage on stage seven, another hilly route of from 197km from Saint-Malo to Mur-de-Bretagne Guerledan.
Update:
Date: 17:07 BST
Title: General classification standings after stage six
Content:
Update:
Date: 17:00 BST
Title: Tour de France: Stage six results
Content:
Update:
Date: 16:55 BST
Title: This stage was one I circled from the start - Healy
Content: Stage winner Ben Healy added: "I switched on from the start. Maybe I spent a bit too much [energy] to try to get into the break but that's the way I do it. Once I was in there we really had to work for that gap and we were on the pedals all day.
"I knew I needed to get away from the group and picked my moment. I think I timed it well and hopefully caught them by surprise a bit. And then I knew what I had to do: just head down and do my best right to the finish.
"This stage suited me down to the ground. It was one I circled from the start and to do it feels amazing.
"I grew up watching the Tour, one day wishing I could maybe be there, and to even be here is an achievement. Now to win a stage is so amazing."
Update:
Date: 16:48 BST
Title: Last year made me believe that I could do it - Healy
Content: Stage winner Ben Healy, who finished 27th on his Tour debut last year: "It's unbelievable, it's really what I've worked for, not just this year but the whole time.
"It's really incredible and [down to] hours and hours of hard work by so many people. To pay them back today is really amazing.
"Last year was a real eye-opener and it really made me believe that I could do it. I just knuckled down and did the hard work. I tried to refine my racing style as well and it really paid off today."
Update:
Date: 16:36 BST
Title: Post
Content: Ben Healy's EF Education-EasyPost team-mate Kasper
Asgreen: "He really had a plan today, you could see it straight off the [team] bus.
"He made every move from the gun and he took off with 45km to go and just extended it on his own.
"It was really a pleasure listening to [sporting director] Tom Southam in the car behind and hearing Ben crush it.
"They were trying to find a good spot to make that move, where it maybe wouldn't be so expected but still be very effective."
Update:
Date: 16:24 BST
Title: Yellow jersey - Van der Poel regains race lead by one second
Content: Tadej Pogacar crosses five minutes 26 seconds after Ben Healy, so Mathieu van der Poel will regain the race leader's yellow jersey by just one second.
Update:
Date: 16:22 BST
Title: Post
Content: Tadej Pogacar is first over the line from the peloton, with Jonas Vingegaard right behind him.
Update:
Date: 16:18 BST
Title: Post
Content: Matteo Jorgenson leads the way for Visma-Lease a Bike, Tadej Pogacar responds.
Update:
Date: 16:17 BST
Title: Post
Content: Now for the main GC contenders...
Update:
Date: 16:17 BST
Title: Dunbar makes it two Irish riders in first four
Content: Harold Tejada makes the first move on the climb to the finish, but Quinn Simmons responds to claim second place with ease.
Eddie Dunbar comes through shortly after to make it two Irishmen in the first four today. What a day for the Irish!!
Update:
Date: 16:15 BST
Title: Post
Content: Mathieu van der Poel and Harold Tejada have been dropped from the chase group, with Michael Storer and Quinn Simmons set to battle it out for the bonus seconds.
Update:
Date: 16:12 BST
Title: Healy wins stage six for first Tour de France victory
Content: Ben Healy powers up the final climb to cap a wonderful day by clinching the first Tour de France stage win of his career.
The 24-year-old Irishman has produced a stunning solo attack to win stage six while Mathieu van der Poel will regain the leader's yellow jersey.
Update:
Date: 16:09 BST
Title: Polka dot jersey - Healy claims final KoM point
Content: Ben Healy adds another mountain point to his tally on the Cote de Vaudry.
What a day it's been for the 24-year-old Irishman. He's even closing in on the white jersey for best young rider too.
Double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel currently has it.
Update:
Date: 5km to go
Title: Healy closes in on stage win
Content: Ben Healy is on to the penultimate hill of the day, and the last categorised climb.
Update:
Date: 10km to go
Title: Post
Content: Ben Healy has been named the most aggressive rider of the day.
He was in with a shout even before he launched this solo attack.
It looks like the Irishman will claim a first-ever stage win on the Tour too.
He's almost two minutes clear, with the peloton nearly seven minutes back.
Update:
Date: 15km to go
Title: Post
Content: The gap from Ben Healy to Quinn Simmons and Michael Storer is up to one minute 20 seconds.
This would be the 12th Tour stage win for EF Education-Easypost, with the most recent coming last year from Richard Carapaz on stage 17.
Update:
Date: 15:52 BST
Title: Frantic finale in store
Content: Can Ben Healy maintain his lead over this frantic finish to stage six?
It is a similarly punchy finale to that for stage four, with a category four ascent up the Cote de Vaudry before an uncategorised climb to the line.
Update:
Date: 22km to go
Title: Post
Content: Ben Healy is now in time-trial mode as he hopes to claim Ireland's 15th Tour stage win.
The first came from Seamus Elliott in Roubaix in 1963 and the most recent was Sam Bennett to close the 2020 edition on the Champs-Elysees.
Update:
Date: 27km to go
Title: Polka dot jersey - Healy claims penultimate climb
Content: Ben Healy leads by 47 seconds at the start of the Cote de Saint-Michel-de-Montjoie climb so takes the two points, with Michael Storer next up for the other point.