Healy's solo ride stuns as Van der Poel retakes lead

Ben Healy of Ireland took his nation's 15th win in the Tour de France after claiming victory on stage six from Bayeux to Vire as Mathieu van der Poel recaptured the yellow jersey from Tadej Pogacar by a second.

- Jeremy Whittle

Healy, a stage winner in the Giro d'Italia in 2023, was in five different breakaways in last year's Tour but came away from the race empty-handed. The opportunistic Education EasyPost rider used all the aerodynamic advantages available to him to ride on his own to the biggest win of his career.

"I don't push the most power out of everyone, but I just try and be as efficient as I possibly can," he said. "I had full time-trial tyres, a waxed chain, a time-trial skinsuit, and just maximised absolutely everything."

A baking Normandy afternoon did not calm the pace of the peloton, despite the presence of six categorised climbs on the 201km stage, the second longest of the race. In the relentless ebb and flow both Pogacar's and Jonas Vingegaard's teammates were active on the front, until the decisive move came, but only after 100km.