Ben Healy won solo the 6th stage of the Tour de France between Bayeux and Vire Normandie, this Thursday, July 10. Mathieu van der Poel took over the yellow jersey in Tadej Pogacar.
5:40 pm – The summary of the 6th stage of the Tour de France 2025
Christian Prudhomme had described this 6th stage of the Tour de France 2025 between Bayeux and turns as “the most pest-and-and-long plain stage in the recent tour of the Tour”. The show was at the rendezvous, from the start in the hometown of Kévin Vauquelin, who was necessarily keen to shine today. Third in the general classification, French will not have had the opportunity in this intense stage. Locked up to the first intermediate sprint (km22), the race is then unleashed with incessant attacks for two hours. No one managed to take off and more than thirty seconds in advance, until a group of eight runners manage to detach themselves in mid-race.
They are eight (notably with Mathieu Van der Poel, Simon Yates or Ben Healy) finally succeeding in distorting company to the peloton led by the teammates of the Tadej Pogacar yellow jersey. With a gap mounted four minutes, the case seems to be heard less than 50 kilometers from the finish. This is the moment chosen by Ben Healy to go solo, after the penultimate difficulty of the day, 41km from the finish line. An effort that initially seems to be dedicated to failure, but the Irishman of the EF Education-Easy Post ultimately continues to increase his advance on his escape companions. Leaving against, Quinn Simmons and Michael Storer will never get closer to him. Tired by the efforts of the last days, Mathieu Van der Poel had trouble completing the stage but finally takes up the yellow jersey for a single small second in Tadej Pogacar, who was the strongest in the last climb among the favorites. And who will certainly not be unhappy to let go of the tunic for a few days …
5:30 pm – Ben Healy goes back to general, Vauquelin always 3rd
Beyond this prestigious victory today in Vire, Ben Healy succeeds in a big blow in the general classification by going back to 8th place, at 2’01 “by Mathieu Van der Poel. Kévin Vauquelin, discreet today, remains third behind Van der Poel and Pogacar, with 1’00” delay on the Belgian.
17:25 – The point on distinctive jerseys after the 6th stage
While Tadej Pogacar (UAE) had three distinctive jerseys this morning from Bayeux, the Slovenian is now no longer this evening in Vire. For a single second, Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) seizes the yellow jersey again. Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) takes the green jersey, while Tim Wellens (UAE) takes the polka dot jersey. The white jersey remains on the shoulders of Remco Evenepoel (Sudal-Quick Step).
17:21 – Van der Poel takes up the yellow jersey in Pogacar
Mathieu Van der Poel officially takes up the yellow jersey in Tadej Pogacar! For a single small second, the Belgian of Alpecin-Deceuninck is again the leader in the general classification.
5:18:18 pm Pugacar crossed the line at the top of the favorite group
Tadej Pogacar won the sprint of the group of favorites on the finish line but it probably arrives too late to keep his yellow jersey.
17:16 – van der Poel and Termine
Mathieu Van der Poel finished, almost four minutes late on Ben Healy. Will he resume the yellow jersey in Pogacar? Response in a few moments.
17:15 – Simmons and Storer cross the finish line
After a final sprint, Quinn Simmons (Lidl Trek) is ahead of Michael Storer (Tudor) on the finish line, with 2’45 “delay on Ben Healy.
17:12 – Ben Healy wins the 6th stage solo!
Ben Healy can raise his arms! The Irishman of the EF Education-Easy Post team wins the 6th stage of this 2025 Tour de France after an exceptional issue during the last 40 kilometers to Vire. This is a first success on the Tour de France for Healy, which will long remember this day in Normandy.
5:08 pm – Van der Poel holds a little
Certainly tired by the efforts of the last days, Mathieu Van der Poel holds a little in the Côte de Vaudry and loses contact with his escaped companions.
5:06 pm – Healy first crossed the Côte de Vaudry
On the way to a first success on the Tour de France, Ben Healy first crossed the Côte de Vaudry (1.2km at 7.2%), the last difficulty listed of the day. He gleaks the only point attributed to the top of this 4th category “pass”.
5:01 pm – Healy had already done the blow on the Giro
Ben Healy is no stranger to this kind of solitary number. The Irishman won on a similar scenario in a Giro stage two years ago, in Fossombrone, after being released from a group of escaped 50 kilometers from the finish.
16:57 – The price of combativeness for Healy
Before a superb stage victory looming in Vire, Ben Healy has just been combative of the day.
16:56 – Healy goes straight
Ben Healy does not weaken in front of the race and now has 1’40 “on Quinn Simmons (Lidl Trek) and Michael Storer (Tudor). 12 kilometers from the finish in Vire, it starts to feel very good for the Irish …
16:52 – Van der Poel two minutes away
The group where Mathieu van der Poel is located is now pointed two minutes from Ben Healy, who continues his number at the front. The Belgian will not win the stage but may be able to console himself with the yellow jersey.
16:48 – Healy increases her lead in mind
Ben Healy continues to impress at the front. He now has 1’20 “in advance on his two closest pursuers.
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The course
For this new edition, still eagerly awaited, the North is honored with a big departure in Lille on Saturday July 5 for a stage organized 100% around the metropolis. The peloton will stay in the North for a few days with a second stage which will arrive in Boulogne sur Mer then in Dunkirk on Monday, July 7. Who says North, says the cobblestones? Well no, the organizers decided to do without sectors.
Nine years after its passage, Normandy is also honored with two stages including one against the watch in the streets of Caen. The city of Vire will host the arrival of the 6th stage. The Tour will then pass to Brittany with a new passage to the famous Mûr-de-Bretagne. The Massif Central will then be on the program before a first break on July 15. The second part of the Tour promises to be Dantesque with an arrival in Hautacam, a Loudenvielle-Peyragudes time trial which risks doing damage before an XXL stage, concluded in Luchon-Superbagnères via the Tourmalet, the Col d’Aspin and the Col de Peyresourde …
The third week will honor the Alps with the comeback of Mont Ventoux on July 22. The Tour de France had not been on the legendary summit since 2016, when, remember, Christopher Froome had finished the ascent on foot. The next day, the peloton goes up the Rhône valley in an accidental stage between Bollène and Valence before attacking a very mountainous final line, first with an 18th stage between the agglomeration of Grenoble and the Courchevel station with the appalling Col de la Loze and its three outdoor passes which will be the queen of the Tour with more than 5000 meters of ascension. Finally, no Olympic Games this year, the Tour will find its last traditional step with an arrival on avenue des Champs Elysées.