Healy Claims Yellow as Yates Triumphs on Bastille Day
Irishman Takes Race Lead as Briton Secures Third Tour Stage Win
The Bastille Day stage of the 2025 Tour de France delivered drama and a shift in the general classification, as **Simon Yates** claimed a commanding stage victory in the Auvergne while **Ben Healy** seized the coveted yellow jersey.
Breakaway Success and a New Race Leader
Simon Yates, fresh off his triumph at the Giro d’Italia, secured his third career stage win in the Tour. He broke away from his companions on the grueling uphill finish to Puy de Sancy. Meanwhile, **Ben Healy**, who started the day nearly four minutes behind race leader **Tadej Pogacar**, surged past the Slovenian in the standings.
Healy’s impressive performance saw him become the first Irishman to don the yellow jersey since **Stephen Roche** in 1987. The 24-year-old’s team had strategically driven the pace of the day’s breakaway, ensuring it stayed clear to contest the finish, with the main peloton, including **Pogacar**, finishing almost six minutes behind.
“It was such a tough stage today and I’m really tired, so I think this is only going to sink in tomorrow. I gave everything in the last 40 kilometres to give myself the best possible chance of taking the yellow jersey.”
—Ben Healy
Healy emphasized the team effort behind his success: “This is more for the team. They had to work hard today to put me in this position. Winning a stage was the first dream, but don’t get me wrong, this yellow jersey is unbelievable.”
Yates’s Strong Finish
Simon Yates attacked at the base of the final ascent to Puy de Sancy. He dropped all but Australian rider **Ben O’Connor**, who eventually faded. Thymen Arensman of Ineos Grenadiers briefly pursued Yates but could not bridge the gap to the stage winner.
Reflecting on his performance after a demanding Giro, Yates admitted that finding renewed motivation was the biggest challenge. “It was a tough start for me,”
he said of the Tour’s Grand Départ, “and not my forte. I was still quite tired after the Giro. Mentally, that was the hardest part.”
The Englishman also commended Healy‘s relentless efforts: “It’s really impressive how strong he is. It’s not the first day I have felt his strength. I was also in the breakaway a few days ago when he won the stage and I was quite blown away with how much time he took.”
French Hopes and King of the Mountains Battle
The picturesque Auvergne region provided a challenging backdrop for the stage. Despite the national celebrations, French hopes saw mixed fortunes. Kévin Vauquelin, who was third overall entering the stage, dropped to sixth place after losing time on the climbs.
However, Lenny Martinez, whose grandfather **Mariano Martinez** also won a stage on Bastille Day in 1980, was a key agitator. His consistent accelerations over the day’s eight climbs whittled down the initial 29-rider breakaway to a select group of five. Martinez’s efforts earned him the King of the Mountains jersey.
As the race entered its final 10 kilometers, a leading group including Healy, Yates, and Martinez broke clear. Healy successfully maintained his advantage over Pogacar to secure the overall lead.
Healy and his EF Education-Easy Post team now look forward to defending the race lead as the Tour heads into the demanding stages of the Pyrenees, with a rest day in Toulouse providing a brief respite. The 2025 Tour de France has seen an average speed of 40.2 km/h for the first ten stages, highlighting the relentless pace of the peloton (Tour de France Official Website 2025).
