The undulating landscapes of Normandy served as the battleground for a dynamic and unpredictable sixth stage of the Tour de France. Covering 201 kilometers from Bayeux to Vire Normandie, featuring 3550 meters of elevation gain and six categorized climbs, this stage finally saw a significant breakaway succeed in reaching the finish line.
The victor of the day was 24-year-old Irish talent Ben Healy of EF Education-EasyPost. Healy launched his decisive move from the leading group approximately 41 kilometers from the finish, riding away solo and maintaining his advantage to claim a superb victory. He crossed the line with a comfortable margin of 2 minutes and 43 seconds over Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek), with Kévin Vauquelin (Arkéa–B&B Hotels) rounding out the podium at 2 minutes and 50 seconds.
While Healy`s solo triumph was the highlight of the stage finish, considerable drama unfolded behind among the general classification contenders. The yellow jersey changed hands, moving from Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) back to Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), separated by a mere one second.
Van der Poel was part of a strong, early breakaway that included riders like Healy, Simmons, and Simon Yates (Jayco AlUla). This group built a substantial lead over the main peloton containing the primary GC favorites. Initially, the gap swelled to over five minutes, creating the possibility of a yellow jersey change depending on who was in the break.
As the stage progressed, Van der Poel lost ground to the winning move of Healy but maintained a significant lead over the main peloton. However, in the closing kilometers, the tactics of other teams came into play. Jonas Vingegaard`s Visma-Lease a Bike team took charge of the pace-setting in the main group. Their acceleration drastically reduced the peloton`s deficit to Van der Poel, inadvertently bringing him back within striking distance of Pogacar`s overnight lead. Van der Poel, who started the day just 1 second behind Pogacar, finished the stage 1 minute and 29 seconds ahead of the Slovenian`s group, effectively reclaiming the yellow jersey by that same narrow margin. It was a peculiar turn of events, with a rival GC team seemingly pacing the man who took the jersey from the current leader.
Tadej Pogacar`s reaction on the finish line, accelerating sharply in the final meters, perhaps hinted at his awareness or mild pique regarding the dynamics that unfolded behind the breakaway. Having worn the yellow, polka dot, and green jerseys simultaneously the previous day, Pogacar relinquished all three on Stage 6. The green jersey now belongs to Italy`s Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), while the polka dot jersey went to Pogacar`s own teammate, Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates).
Ben Healy`s victory is a testament to his aggressive racing style and climbing prowess. At 24, the Irishman has already built an impressive resume, including a victory at the 2023 Giro d`Italia stage to Fossombrone, second place at the 2023 Amstel Gold Race, third at Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2025, fourth at Strade Bianche, and fifth at Flèche Wallonne. His ability to attack fiercely and maintain his effort makes him a thrilling rider to watch, and securing a Tour de France stage win marks another significant milestone in his career.
The Tour continues its journey tomorrow with Stage 7, heading west into the cycling heartland of Brittany. The 197-kilometer route from Saint Malo to Mur de Bretagne (Guerledan) is dedicated to Bernard Hinault, the last French winner of the Tour de France (1985), and passes through his hometown of Yffiniac. The stage culminates on the Mur de Bretagne, a climb often nicknamed the “Breton Alpe d`Huez.” It`s a sharp, testing ascent (2 km at 6.9% with gradients up to 15%) known for providing explosive finishes. Mathieu van der Poel famously won here in 2021 to take the yellow jersey, with Pogacar finishing second. The climb`s profile favors punchier riders and classics specialists, making it a prime opportunity for riders like Pogacar and Van der Poel, potentially less so for pure climbers like Vingegaard, setting the stage for further strategic battles on the challenging roads of Brittany.
