Ben Healy etched his name into cycling history on stage 10 of the 2025 Tour de France, becoming the first Irish rider since Stephen Roche in 1987 to wear the coveted yellow jersey.
The 24-year-old EF Education-EasyPost rider powered his way to third place on the grueling 165.3km stage from Ennezat to Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, seizing the overall lead from Tadej Pogacar.
Healy’s heroic effort came during a punishing Bastille Day stage through the Massif Central, featuring eight categorized climbs. Part of a 29-rider breakaway, Healy drove the pace, maintaining a significant gap over the peloton.
Despite finishing 31 seconds behind stage winner Simon Yates, his relentless ride secured a 29-second lead over Pogacar in the general classification.
“It’s a fairytale,” Healy said, visibly emotional. “If you’d told me I’d be in yellow, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
Healy, who also won stage 6, now joins Irish cycling legends Roche, Sean Kelly, and Shay Elliott as the fourth Irishman to don the maillot jaune.
With a rest day ahead, Healy vowed to honor the jersey, stating, “I’ve got to respect it and hold on as long as possible.”
