VIRE NORMANDIE, France — Ireland’s Ben Healy claimed an impressive solo victory in Stage 6 of the Tour de France on Thursday, navigating a challenging, hilly route to secure his first-ever win in the prestigious race. Previously a stage winner at the Giro d’Italia, the 24-year-old made his decisive move with 25 miles to go and held off the chasing pack.
“This is unreal,” Healy said after the race. “Winning a Tour stage is something I’ve dreamed of since childhood. Just being part of the Tour was a goal to win a stage makes it all the more incredible.”
American Quinn Simmons finished 2 minutes and 44 seconds behind Healy in second, while Australian Michael Storer came in third at 2:51.
Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel crossed the line in eighth place, doing just enough to reclaim the yellow jersey from two-time champion Tadej Pogacar by a margin of one second. Pogacar came in ninth, with rival Jonas Vingegaard right behind in tenth.
The 125-mile stage ran from Bayeux to Vire Normandie, featuring six small climbs before ending with a steep uphill finish. Van der Poel admitted the heat took a toll on him but said he was happy to wear the yellow jersey again even if only briefly. “I’ll do my best to recover and enjoy the jersey today,” he said. “It may only last a day.”
An early breakaway group of eight riders including Van der Poel and Giro d’Italia champion Simon Yates gained a four-minute advantage on the peloton led by Pogacar. Healy chose that moment to break free and ride alone to the finish. “I picked this stage as a target,” he revealed. “I knew I had to make a move and commit fully.”
Looking ahead, Stage 7 stretches 122 miles from Saint-Malo to the steep climb of Mûr-de-Bretagne in Brittany. “With Tadej and Jonas in the mix, if either attacks on that final climb, it’ll be tough for the rest of us to respond,” Van der Poel added.
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