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The Independent
15-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Who is Ben Healy? The master tactician with an explosive kick leading the Tour de France
The first week of the Tour de France has seen plenty of expected winners: defending champion Tadej Pogacar has already won two stages to add to his haul of 19 career wins at the race, while Mathieu van der Poel won his first stage since 2021 and a rivalry is developing between the two fastest sprinters, Jonathan Milan and Tim Merlier, as they battle for supremacy on the flat. But by the end of the opening week – actually 10 days, with the first rest day falling after stage 10 – there was an altogether unexpected rider pulling on the leader's yellow jersey, displacing Pogacar himself. Ben Healy won stage six from Bayeux to Vire Normandie and his brilliant Tour continued with a third place on stage 10, from Ennezat to Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy in the Massif Central, enough to secure the race lead at the expense of the world's best rider and three-time champion. The 24-year-old made history as only the fourth Irishman to wear yellow, and the first since Stephen Roche in 1987. But who is Healy, and what has his career looked like so far? Irishman Healy was born and raised near Birmingham but chose to represent the country of his Waterford- and Cork-born paternal grandparents, and races with Irish stripes on his sleeves courtesy of being a former national road race champion. The 24-year-old was cycling and mountain biking from an early age and spent several years as a teenager with various British club teams, including Team Wiggins le Col, which also counted Tom Pidcock among its ranks. At the age of 18 he became the youngest stage winner at the Tour de l'Avenir, renowned as a breakout race for future stars. Riding for Trinity Racing, he took back-to-back victories in the under-23 time trial and elite men's road race at Irish national championships in 2020, before three podium places at the Baby Giro, a Giro d'Italia-style race for under-23s, including a win on the final stage. In 2022 he moved up to WorldTour level, the highest level of elite cycling, joining American squad EF Education-EasyPost. Another victory in the time-trial in the Irish national championships followed that year, as well as a bronze in the road race. 2023 was to prove his breakout year. The Ardennes Classics proved a happy hunting ground for the then-22-year-old, as he secured a second place at Brabantse Pijl and Amstel Gold before just missing out on a podium finish at Liege-Bastogne-Liege. He won the Irish elite men's road race at nationals the same year, but really burst onto the scene with a 50km solo stage win at the Giro d'Italia. Healy spent 196km in total in the breakaway on stage eight, from Terni to Fossombrone, a punchy, hilly stage with three categorised climbs, before dropping his companions to finish with a near-two minute advantage. It was his maiden grand tour stage victory, on his debut at a three-week race. Last year he recorded a top-10 at the Olympic road race in Paris as well as a seventh place in the World Championships in Zurich, while further top-10s followed in the Classics this year: third in Liege-Bastogne-Liege, fourth in Strade Bianche, fifth in Fleche-Wallonne, and 10th in Amstel Gold. His win at the Giro both indicated his pedigree but also his preferred way of racing: at full pace all day, riding weaker riders off his wheel, before surging away on long-range solo attacks. He also took a second place on stage 15 of the Giro that same year, in the same manner. And that was exactly how he took his maiden Tour de France win last week: escaping into an eight-man breakaway before dropping his companions on the climb with 42km to go on stage six. Despite the calibre of climbers in the chasing group he continued to build his advantage, finishing with 2'44' on his closest pursuer, Quinn Simmons. 'It's just unbelievable really,' the EF Education-EasyPost rider said. 'It's what I've worked for not just this year but the whole time really, it's really incredible, hours and hours of hard work from so many people and to pay them back today is really amazing. 'This was a stage I had circled in the book from the start and to do it in the first one is amazing.' His aerodynamic form and explosive kick on tough climbs make him an obvious pick to get into a breakway, as well as handily placed for success when the gradient slopes uphill. Now he leads the Tour de France by 29' seconds over Tadej Pogacar, as well as leading the best young rider classification by 1'29' over Belgian superstar Remco Evenepoel, who was third overall at the Tour de France last year. 'It's really beyond belief, if someone had told me I'd be in yellow and have won a stage of the Tour, by the first rest day as well, I wouldn't have believed you,' the Irishman said afterwards. 'I kind of gambled a bit. I had the stage win in the bank, and how often do you get the opportunity to put yourself into yellow, so I felt I had to take that and really go for it.'
The Independent
14-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Who is Ben Healy? The English-born Irishman leading the Tour de France
The first week of the Tour de France has seen plenty of expected winners: defending champion Tadej Pogacar has already won two stages to add to his haul of 19 career wins at the race, while Mathieu van der Poel won his first stage since 2021 and a rivalry is developing between the two fastest sprinters, Jonathan Milan and Tim Merlier, as they battle for supremacy on the flat. But by the end of the opening week - actually 10 days, with the first rest day falling after stage 10 - there was an altogether unexpected rider pulling on the leader's yellow jersey, displacing Pogacar himself. Ben Healy won stage six from Bayeux to Vire Normandie and his brilliant Tour continued with a third place on stage 10, from Ennezat to Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy in the Massif Central, enough to secure the race lead at the expense of the world's best rider and three-time champion. The 24-year-old made history as only the fourth Irishman to wear yellow, and the first since Stephen Roche in 1987. But who is Healy, and what has his career looked like so far? Irishman Healy was born and raised near Birmingham but chose to represent the country of his Waterford- and Cork-born paternal grandparents, and races with Irish stripes on his sleeves courtesy of being a former national road race champion. The 24-year-old was cycling and mountain biking from an early age and spent several years as a teenager with various British club teams, including Team Wiggins le Col, which also counted Tom Pidcock among its ranks. At the age of 18 he became the youngest stage winner at the Tour de l'Avenir, renowned as a breakout race for future stars. Riding for Trinity Racing, he took back-to-back victories in the under-23 time trial and elite men's road race at Irish national championships in 2020, before three podium places at the Baby Giro, a Giro d'Italia-style race for under-23s, including a win on the final stage. In 2022 he moved up to WorldTour level, the highest level of elite cycling, joining American squad EF Education-EasyPost. Another victory in the time-trial in the Irish national championships followed that year, as well as a bronze in the road race. 2023 was to prove his breakout year. The Ardennes Classics proved a happy hunting ground for the then-22-year-old, as he secured a second place at Brabantse Pijl and Amstel Gold before just missing out on a podium finish at Liege-Bastogne-Liege. He won the Irish elite men's road race at nationals the same year, but really burst onto the scene with a 50km solo stage win at the Giro d'Italia. Healy spent 196km in total in the breakaway on stage eight, from Terni to Fossombrone, a punchy, hilly stage with three categorised climbs, before dropping his companions to finish with a near-two minute advantage. It was his maiden grand tour stage victory, on his debut at a three-week race. Last year he recorded a top-10 at the Olympic road race in Paris as well as a seventh place in the World Championships in Zurich, while further top-10s followed in the Classics this year: third in Liege-Bastogne-Liege, fourth in Strade Bianche, fifth in Fleche-Wallonne, and 10th in Amstel Gold. His win at the Giro both indicated his pedigree but also his preferred way of racing: at full pace all day, riding weaker riders off his wheel, before surging away on long-range solo attacks. He also took a second place on stage 15 of the Giro that same year, in the same manner. And that was exactly how he took his maiden Tour de France win last week: escaping into an eight-man breakaway before dropping his companions on the climb with 42km to go on stage six. Despite the calibre of climbers in the chasing group he continued to build his advantage, finishing with 2'44' on his closest pursuer, Quinn Simmons. 'It's just unbelievable really,' the EF Education-EasyPost rider said. 'It's what I've worked for not just this year but the whole time really, it's really incredible, hours and hours of hard work from so many people and to pay them back today is really amazing. 'This was a stage I had circled in the book from the start and to do it in the first one is amazing.' His aerodynamic form and explosive kick on tough climbs make him an obvious pick to get into a breakway, as well as handily placed for success when the gradient slopes uphill. Now he leads the Tour de France by 29' seconds over Tadej Pogacar, as well as leading the best young rider classification by 1'29' over Belgian superstar Remco Evenepoel, who was third overall at the Tour de France last year. 'It's really beyond belief, if someone had told me I'd be in yellow and have won a stage of the Tour, by the first rest day as well, I wouldn't have believed you,' the Irishman said afterwards. 'I kind of gambled a bit. I had the stage win in the bank, and how often do you get the opportunity to put yourself into yellow, so I felt I had to take that and really go for it.'
Japan Times
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
Ben Healy rides to victory in Stage 6 of Tour de France
Ireland's Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) went out alone to win Stage 6 of the Tour de France on Thursday, with Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) wrestling back the leader's yellow jersey from reigning champion Tadej Pogacar. Healy attacked from an eight-man breakaway, which included Van der Poel, with 42 kilometers remaining on the 201.5-km ride from Bayeux to Vire Normandie, and pulled away to reach the finish line well ahead of American Quinn Simmons, with Australian Michael Storer third. Van der Poel, who lost the overall lead to Pogacar after Wednesday's individual time trial, was unable to keep pace with the breakaway but moved back to the top of the general classification with a gap of one second over the Slovenian champion. Healy's move came after the group had been out ahead for more than 100 km and while Simmons and Storer later decided to give chase, the Irishman increased his lead only as he climbed to the finish. "I spent a bit too much time trying to get into the break, but I think that's just the way I do it," Healy said. "Once I was in there we really had to work for that gap, and it was just on the pedals all day, and I knew I needed to get away from the group and picked my moment, and I think I timed it well." Van der Poel, who first took the yellow jersey after winning Stage 2, began the day 1 minute, 28 seconds behind Pogacar, but at one stage looked like he would open up an even bigger lead than that himself. The breakaway group had managed to put more than four minutes between themselves and the peloton, with Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates appearing unconcerned about losing the yellow jersey at this early stage of the race. After Healy broke free, and the others gave chase, Van der Poel lost his momentum and, on a day with six categorized climbs and an uphill finish, the Dutchman looked a tired figure as he dragged himself to the line in eighth place. Pogacar ended up crossing the finish line next, and the three-time champion, while losing all three jerseys, will be more than happy to sit just one second behind Van der Poel. Others lost a lot more time on a stage that brought the first breakaway win of the Tour, after a large group of riders had been dropped early on. Italian Jonathan Milan earned himself the green points jersey by winning an intermediate sprint but, along with fellow sprint specialists Biniam Girmay, Tim Merlier and Kaden Groves, he came in almost half an hour after Healy. Stage 7 on Friday is a 197-km trek from Saint-Malo to Guerledan.
Arab News
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Healy wins hilly 6th stage, Van der Poel takes yellow jersey from Pogacar at Tour de France
VIRE NORMANDIE, France: Irish rider Ben Healy won a hilly sixth stage of the Tour de France after a long solo breakaway on Thursday and Mathieu van der Poel took back the yellow jersey from defending champion Tadej Pogacar by one second. The 24-year-old Healy had won a stage on the Giro d'Italia before, but this was his first victory at cycling's showcase race. 'A stage win in the Tour is just unbelievable, it's what I've worked for,' he said. 'I grew up watching the Tour and wishing one day I could just be there. Participating in the Tour is already an achievement and to win a stage is just so so amazing.' American rider Quinn Simmons finished 2 minutes, 44 seconds behind Healy in second place and Australian Michael Storer was 2:51 back in third spot. Van der Poel finished eighth, and Pogacar was a little further back in ninth. Stage 6 took riders over 201.5 kilometers (125 miles) from Bayeux to Vire Normandie, featuring six minor climbs before a sharp uphill finish with a 10 percent gradient. The Slovenian star accelerated at the end of the stage but could not quite do enough to stop the yellow jersey going to the 30-year-old Dutchman Van der Poel, who is not considered a race contender. 'I would have loved to have a bit more than one second but I'm happy to have it again,' said Van der Poel, who struggled with the heat. 'I'll try my best to recover as good as possible and then we'll see tomorrow, but first I'm going to enjoy the yellow jersey. I will probably only have it for one day.' Two-time Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard finished 10th, just behind Pogacar, and is fifth overall. The route favored allrounders and an experienced-looking eight-rider breakaway, including Stage 2 winner Van der Poel and Giro d'Italia champion Simon Yates, pulled away from the yellow jersey group around three-time Tour winner Pogacar. Riding through rolling countryside they opened up a four-minute lead with 40 kilometers to go, which is when Healy decided to go for the stage win and pulled away from his rivals, who could not follow. 'Today's stage really suited me, I had circled this day from the start,' Healy said. 'I knew I needed to get away from the group, I think I timed it well and I caught them by surprise a little bit. Then I knew what I had to do: just put my head down.' Friday's stage is also hilly Stage 7 is 197 kilometers long, starting from the port city of Saint-Malo and finishing with a climb up Mûr-de-Bretagne in Britanny's picturesque Côtes-d'Armor department. 'When you see how Tadej is riding,' Van der Poel said, 'if he attacks tomorrow, or Jonas as well, it will be very difficult not only for me but for the whole bunch to follow on this climb.'
ABC News
10-07-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Michael Storer third in Tour de France stage six, Tadej Pogačar gives up yellow jersey
Michael Storer has achieved the best Australian result so far at this year's Tour de France, finishing third in stage six. Ireland's Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) won the 201.5-kilometre trek from Bayeux to Vire Normandie after a long solo breakaway. Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) wrestled back the overall leader's yellow jersey from reigning champion Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates). Healy attacked from an eight-man breakaway, which included van der Poel, with 42km remaining and pulled away to reach the finish line well ahead of second-placed American Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) and Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling Team). "I spent a bit too much time trying to get into the break, but I think that's just the way I do it," Healy said. "Once I was in there we really had to work for that gap and it was just on the pedals all day and I knew I needed to get away from the group and picked my moment." Van der Poel, who lost the overall lead to Pogačar after the individual time trial in stage five, was unable to keep pace with the breakaway. But he moved back to the top of the general classification with a gap of one second over Slovenia's Pogačar. Van der Poel, who first took the yellow jersey after winning stage two, began the day 1:28 behind Pogačar. The breakaway group had managed to put more than four minutes between themselves and the peloton, with Pogačar's teammates appearing unconcerned about losing the yellow jersey at this early stage of the race. After Healy broke free and the others gave chase, van der Poel lost his momentum and — on a day with six categorised climbs and an uphill finish — he looked a tired figure as he dragged himself to the line in eighth place. Pogačar ended up crossing the finish next and the three-time champion will be more than happy to sit just one second behind van der Poel. Jack Haig (Team Bahrain Victorious) and Ben O'Connor (Team Jayco AlUla) are the best-placed Australians in the general classifications in 20th and 21st respectively. Haig is 5:09 off the pace, with O'Connor (5:30) further back. Reuters/ABC
