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The Journal
44 minutes ago
- Sport
- The Journal
Ireland's Ben Healy pipped to second in sensational finish to today's Tour de France stage
LAST UPDATE | 19 mins ago The 42 IRELAND'S BEN HEALY was pipped to second by France's Valentin Paret-Peintre in a sensational sprint finish to stage 16 of the Tour de France. After a gruelling four hours from Montpellier, Paret-Peintre beat Healy up the final hill of the Mont Ventoux stage to become the first French stage winner at this year's Tour. Healy, who won the sixth stage and previously wore the overall leader's yellow jersey, made his final charge with 350 metres remaining and led around the hairpin. But it was home hero Paret-Peintre who rounded him on the last slope to win the stage by a couple of bike lengths, sending the French fans atop the 1910m altitude mountain ecstatic. Ireland's Ben Healy (pink), file photo. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Behind Paret-Peintre and Healy, Jonas Vingegaard attacked overall leader Tadej Pogacar relentlessly but the defending champion tracked the Dane all the way up the 15km ascent to extend his lead by two seconds. Trailing by four minutes and 13 seconds at the start of this stage, Vingegaard attacked with 9 kilometres to climb on Mont Ventoux, whose eery upper reaches resemble a lunar landscape. Advertisement He and Pogacar were eclipsed, however, by a frantic fight for the line and the stage win between EF's Healy and Soudal Quick-Step's Paret-Peintre who relieved home hopes on a Tour raced entirely on French soil. Vingegaard and his Visma team did everything they could to hurt the Team UAE leader Pogacar, but the 26-year-old resisted all they threw at him despite being isolated from his teammates early in the climb which is already etched into Tour folklore after epic past battles. Chris Froome ran part of the way up during a frantic wait for mechanical assistance, while even the great Eddy Merckx once needed oxygen at the summit. Tom Simpson died here in 1967 after collapsing on a baking climb but asking to be helped back onto the saddle. Stage 17 should be one for the sprinters as Tim Merlier hopes to add to his two stage wins and current green jersey Jonathan Milan also targets a second win at the 700m straight run to the finish line at Valence. The weather however could rewrite the script with 50kph winds forecast along the 170km run. – © AFP 2025 Originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won't find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women's sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here .
France 24
an hour ago
- Sport
- France 24
Paret-Peintre lands first French Tour stage win in Mont Ventoux thriller
Behind them Jonas Vingegaard attacked overall leader Tadej Pogacar relentlessly but the defending champion tracked the Dane all the way up the 15km ascent to extend his lead by two seconds. Trailing by 4min 13sec at the start of this stage Vingegaard attacked with 9km to climb on Mont Ventoux, whose eery upper reaches resemble a lunar landscape. "I didn't want to push too hard and then let him have me on a counter-attack. I kept my rhythm as much as I could," said Pogacar who has been fighting off a cold this week. "He attacked many times but I just tried to hold his wheel." Vingegaard was knocked off his bike by a motorbike after the finish line but was unhurt, remounting to go and congratulate Pogacar on another fine battle. "He seemed okay," Pogacar said later. The battle for the overall lead, however, was eclipsed by a frantic fight for the stage win between EF's Healy and Soudal Quick-Step's Paret-Peintre who became the first French winner on Mont Ventoux since Richard Virenque in 2002. "He looked so happy at the finish line," said Pogacar, who crossed the summit 43sec adrift. Mont Ventoux has long been held in awe by riders and spectators alike and it has witnessed some of the greatest dramas and tragedies of the Tour. In 1967, the British cyclist Tom Simpson died here after collapsing on a baking climb. The great Eddy Merckx once needed oxygen at the summit while Chris Froome ran part of the way up during a frantic wait for mechanical assistance on his way to a third Tour de France title in 2016. 'Perfect tactic' Healy, who wore the yellow jersey for two days after winning the Bastille Day stage six, appeared to be heading for his second stage win as the two riders approached the finish of an epic tussle. Paret-Peintre looked completely drained but, cheered on by the home crowd, he found a final surge of strength to overtake the Irishman with 20 metres remaining and held on to the line. "I was near giving up, Healy was so strong but I said to myself come on, it's the Tour de France, Mont Ventoux," said Paret-Peintre. "I knew that if I held on, the last section suited me better than him as it's really steep. It turned out to be the perfect tactic." Healy's consolation was to be awarded the day's combativity prize while moving up one place to ninth in the overall standings. Almost unnoticed further down the mountain, German break out star Florian Lipowitz consolidated his third place, extending his lead on fourth-placed Scottish rider Oscar Onley by around 30 seconds. With two more Alpine stages coming up and five more stages left Vingegaard and his Visma team did everything they could to hurt the Team UAE leader Pogacar here, and can only hope they have tired the pugnacious champion. But the 26-year-old resisted all they threw at him, despite being isolated from his teammates early in the climb. Stage 17 should be one for the sprinters as Tim Merlier hopes to add to his two stage wins and current green jersey Jonathan Milan also targets a second win at the 700m straight run to the finish line at Valence. The weather however could rewrite the script with 50kph winds forecast along the 170km run. © 2025 AFP
The 42
an hour ago
- Sport
- The 42
Ben Healy pipped to second by French winner in sensational finish to Mont Ventoux stage
IRELAND'S BEN HEALY was pipped to second by France's Valentin Paret-Peintre in a sensational sprint finish to stage 16 of the Tour de France. After a gruelling four hours from Montpellier, Paret-Peintre beat Healy up the final hill of the Mont Ventoux stage to become the first French stage winner at this year's Tour. Healy, who won the sixth stage and previously wore the overall leader's yellow jersey, made his final charge with 350 metres remaining and led around the hairpin. But it was home hero Paret-Peintre who rounded him on the last slope to win the stage by a couple of bike lengths, sending the French fans atop the 1910m altitude mountain ecstatic. Behind Paret-Peintre and Healy, Jonas Vingegaard attacked overall leader Tadej Pogacar relentlessly but the defending champion tracked the Dane all the way up the 15km ascent to extend his lead by two seconds. Trailing by four minutes and 13 seconds at the start of this stage, Vingegaard attacked with 9 kilometres to climb on Mont Ventoux, whose eery upper reaches resemble a lunar landscape. Advertisement He and Pogacar were eclipsed, however, by a frantic fight for the line and the stage win between EF's Healy and Soudal Quick-Step's Paret-Peintre who relieved home hopes on a Tour raced entirely on French soil. Vingegaard and his Visma team did everything they could to hurt the Team UAE leader Pogacar, but the 26-year-old resisted all they threw at him despite being isolated from his teammates early in the climb which is already etched into Tour folklore after epic past battles. Chris Froome ran part of the way up during a frantic wait for mechanical assistance, while even the great Eddy Merckx once needed oxygen at the summit. Tom Simpson died here in 1967 after collapsing on a baking climb but asking to be helped back onto the saddle. Stage 17 should be one for the sprinters as Tim Merlier hopes to add to his two stage wins and current green jersey Jonathan Milan also targets a second win at the 700m straight run to the finish line at Valence. The weather however could rewrite the script with 50kph winds forecast along the 170km run. – © AFP 2025
Eyewitness News
5 days ago
- Sport
- Eyewitness News
Pogacar retakes Tour de France lead in crushing mountain win
HAUTACAM - Tadej Pogacar reclaimed the leader's yellow jersey at the Tour de France with an imperious stage 12 triumph on the Hautacam mountain in the Pyrenees on Thursday. Pogacar skipped away on an 11km solo ascent of the fabled climb to finish 2min 10sec ahead of key rival Jonas Vingegaard while overnight leader Ben Healy wilted to a 13min deficit on the day. French president Emmanuel Macron was on hand at the mountaintop finish to congratulate the Slovenian Team UAE rider. Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel dug deep after being dropped on the first of three climbs to claw back level, before eventually losing 3min 35sec on the day's 180.6km ride from Auch, finishing seventh. In the overall standings Pogacar now leads the Tour de France by 3min 31sec over Denmark's Vingegaard while Evenepoel is third at a daunting 4min 45sec. Worse for any pretenders hoping to stop the defending champion is that Friday's stage 13 comes in the shape of an uphill individual time-trial that the Slovenian said this week he was looking forward to. Overnight leader Healy took a beating on his second day defending the yellow jersey as the EF rider slipped off the pace on the first climb, while doggedly trying to limit his losses. He is now eleventh, over 13 minutes behind Pogacar.
The Journal
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Journal
Ben Healy loses yellow jersey after first mountain stage of the Tour de France
LAST UPDATE | 2 hrs ago The 42 BEN HEALY RELINQUISHED the yellow jersey as Tadej Pogacar reclaimed the lead at the Tour de France with an imperious stage 12 triumph on the Hautacam mountain in the Pyrenees today. 💛 Ben Healy tries to hang on to his Yellow Jersey, supported by @harry_sweeny 🇮🇪 Ben Healy tente de s'accrocher à son Maillot Jaune, soutenu par @harry_sweeny #TDF2025 — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 17, 2025 Pogacar skipped away on an 11km solo ascent of the fabled climb to finish 2min 10sec ahead of key rival Jonas Vingegaard while overnight leader Healy wilted to a 13min deficit on the day. Advertisement Overnight leader Healy took a beating on his second day defending the yellow jersey as the EF rider slipped off the pace on the first climb, while doggedly trying to limit his losses. He is now 11th, over 13 minutes behind Pogacar. French president Emmanuel Macron was on hand at the mountaintop finish to congratulate the Slovenian Team UAE rider. Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel dug deep after being dropped on the first of three climbs to claw back level, before eventually losing 3min 35sec on the day's 180.6km ride from Auch, finishing seventh. 🏁 The last few metres of this ascent where the world champion put on a real show! 🏁 Les derniers mètres de cette ascension où le champion du monde a offert une véritable démonstration ! #TDF2025 — Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 17, 2025 Related Reads 'I've lost a few years of life today': Ben Healy retains Tour de France yellow jersey How Ben Healy - grandson of Irish immigrants - made sporting history at the Tour de France 'This is just a fairytale': Ireland's brilliant Ben Healy takes yellow jersey at Tour de France In the overall standings Pogacar now leads the Tour de France by 3min 31sec over Denmark's Vingegaard while Evenepoel is third at a daunting 4min 45sec. Worse for any pretenders hoping to stop the defending champion is that Friday's stage 13 comes in the shape of an uphill individual time-trial that the Slovenian said this week he was looking forward to. Written by AFP and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won't find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women's sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here .
