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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
A Bastille Day Tour victory for Bury rider Simon Yates
Bury's Simon Yates won stage 10 of the Tour de France on Bastille Day on Monday. Yates, who triumphed in his second Grand Tour at the Giro d'Italia in June, timed his attack superbly on the final ascent of the 165.3km stage from Ennezat - Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy after being part of a long-range breakaway. That group of 28 riders was whittled down significantly on a punishing day through the Massif Central that contained eight categorised climbs, with the Visma-Lease a Bike rider pulling clear in the closing stages. 'I didn't even feel that good,' admitted Yates to Cycling Weekly after winning what was his third career Tour stage victory. 'It was a really hard start to be there. And that's why I took advantage into the final corners at the bottom of the last descent, because I was looking for a bit of a head start; And I just did my best from there. 'It's been a long time. I was not really expecting any opportunities here. We came here fully focused on Jonas and the GC. 'The stage played out in a way that I could be there and I took it with both hands.' Yates said he'd had a tough start to the Tour, and was still tired after his Giro d'Italia overall victory. He added: 'It's not easy, I'm still a bit tired from there but I'm getting better every day. I was a bit rusty at the start but I've been growing into the race.' Ineos Grenadiers' Dutch climber Arensman finished second, with Healy, who was born in the West Midlands, coming home in third and jumping to the top of the general classification, 29 seconds ahead of defending champion Tadej Pogacar. After a rest day on Tuesday, racing resumes on Wednesday with a 156.8km route around Toulouse. The first big day in the Pyrenees arrives on Thursday with a trip up to the ski resort at Hautacam. After Monday's stage 10 triumph, former Bury Clarion star Yates sat 23rd in the overall classification. Twin brother Adam, riding for UAE Team Emirates XRG, was placed 44th in the general classification after a 24th spot on stage 10.
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Onley and Blackmore lead the charge of young Britons at Tour de France
For more than a decade, the interest in British riders racing in the Tour de France was focused on familiar names – Mark Cavendish, Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas – but now a new generation of English-speaking talent is making its mark on the world's biggest race. Ben Healy, West Midlands-born but with Irish heritage, has been the revelation of the Tour so far, and was fully rewarded for his unrelenting efforts with the yellow jersey of race leadership on the Bastille Day stage to Puy de Sancy. Healy was briefly a teammate to Tom Pidcock as a teenager before shining as an under-23 rider. Success in the 'Baby Giro' in Italy drew him to the attention of the American team, EF Education-EasyPost. More than his results, Healy's approach to racing, free of the risk-averse tactics of some predecessors, is refreshing and exciting. Unafraid to fail, his attacking style has sometimes fallen short, with a stage win in the 2023 Giro d'Italia the notable exception. In this Tour, however, with victory in Vire and a yellow jersey just four days later, he has finally fulfilled his promise. His success has been Ineos Grenadiers' loss, as he is understood to have rejected an opportunity to move to the British team. For Oscar Onley, currently seventh overall, his second Tour has been a world apart from his debut, in 2024, when he finished 39th. The 22-year-old from Kelso admitted that he was overwhelmed on his first appearance in the race. 'I really struggled during the first week,' he recalled. 'I was wondering: 'What am I doing here?'' This year, Onley is seventh overall as the race looks towards the Pyrenees. So far, he has coped much better, holding on to a high overall placing through one of the toughest and fastest opening weeks in Tour history. 'Once you're racing, it's just another bike race,' he said, 'but it's the scale of everything around it, the expectations, the media.' His steady progression has been marked by stage wins in the 2025 Tour of Switzerland, second place overall in the Tour of Britain and third place overall in this year's Swiss national tour. Onley's team expects there may be a drop-off in his performances as he goes deeper into the Tour, the longest race he has ever ridden, but he is already looking further ahead. 'I rode Mont Ventoux recently for the first time, which may not be a good thing, but I'm looking forward to going there in the Tour.' The Tour debutant Joe Blackmore cut his teeth at Herne Hill velodrome and, at 22, is another of those riding the longest race of his career. His breakthrough win came in last year's Tour de l'Avenir, where his climbing skills came to the fore with a stage win at La Rosière and then a race-clinching performance on the Colle delle Finestre, coincidentally the platform for Simon Yates's race-winning coup in this year's Giro d'Italia. Blackmore, currently 31st overall, lost some time after racing in the breakaway on stage 10, but may yet bounce back in the high mountains. 'It's a big, hard, fast race, but once you get going and focused and on the bike, you're just in the routine,' Blackmore said. 'I've had a few rough days, but enough days when I have felt fine. I haven't crashed yet, so I've been lucky.' With Thursday's Pyrenean stage from Auch to Hautacam expected to live up to its billing, Blackmore is entering his preferred terrain. 'I'm looking forward to pushing on the climbs,' he said. 'It should be a different way of racing.'
Arab News
5 days ago
- Sport
- Arab News
Healy becomes first Irishman in 38 years to lead the Tour de France
PUY DE SANCY, France: Ben Healy became the first Irishman since Stephen Roche in 1987 to take the overall lead on the Tour de France on Monday with a relentless attack across eight gruelling hills in the Massif Central. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The 24-year-old EF rider had already won stage six in Normandy, but here the smiley Healy confirmed his promise with a career-defining ride claiming the fabled yellow jersey. He becomes just the fourth Irishman to wear it following Shay Elliott, back in 1963, Sean Kelly in 1983 and Roche who went on to win an epic race 38 years ago. Healy's performance even overshadowed that of stage winner Simon Yates, who sat on his wheel all afternoon as they crossed the ancient volcanoes that mark the region. Such was the Irishman's effort as the escapees rushed through the grey-black volcanic rock villages that he was also awarded the combativity award for the most attacking rider of the day. 'Hats off to him, he's the one that dropped everyone,' Yates said of Healy as the escape group was gradually whittled down from 30 to five. The 2025 Giro d'Italia winner Yates attacked on the last of the day's climbs, with Thymen Arensman of Ineos second and Healy coming third at the line 31sec adrift and having never relented on a punishing day. Healy was born in Birmingham but chose to represent Ireland in his youth. He is also in the white jersey for the best young rider. 'The stage win I got and the yellow today both mean a lot to me,' said Healy, who had a tense wait at the line for Pogacar to cross 4min 51sec adrift and ceding the overall lead, likely for several days. 'This yellow is more for the team who worked so hard to put me here but the stage win possibly means more as it came first,' he said. Race favorites Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard crossed the line together after eight climbs in the Massif Central where they were rarely a wheel's length from each other. Healy leads the Tour itself by 29sec from defending champion Pogacar, with Belgian Remco Evenepoel in third at 1min 29sec. Denmark's double Tour de France champion Vingegaard is fourth overall at 1min 46sec, and his Visma teammate Matteo Jorgenson sits fifth. Third placed overnight, promising young French rider Kevin Vauquelin dropped a minute to finish the day in sixth place overall. Recompense for the home nation on the national Bastille Day holiday came in the form of Lenny Martinez as he earned the King of the Mountains polka dot jersey with 27 points garnered on the day's stage. His grandfather Mariano Martinez won the polka dot jersey outright on the 1978 Tour. Successive escape bids ensued from the off Monday as the 164 remaining riders raced out of Ennezat with top guns Pogacar and Evenepoel finally allowing one to get away over the ever-rolling terrain Once they did, a gap over five minutes was established by a motivated group that rode so hard over the cattle dotted hills the sprinters were dropped to over 30 minutes at the finish line. While Tuesday is a rest day, Wednesday's stage 11 is another flat run with a sprinter expected to take the honors in Toulouse.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ben Healy takes Tour de France yellow jersey to give Ireland another cycling hero
New overall leader Ireland's Ben Healy celebrates on the podium after the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy) Ireland's Ben Healy celebrates taking the overall leader's yellow jersey after the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, POOL) New overall leader Ireland's Ben Healy drinks as he climbs during the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Ireland's Ben Healy celebrates taking the overall leader's yellow jersey after the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, POOL) New overall leader Ireland's Ben Healy celebrates on the podium after the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy) New overall leader Ireland's Ben Healy celebrates on the podium after the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy) New overall leader Ireland's Ben Healy celebrates on the podium after the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy) Ireland's Ben Healy celebrates taking the overall leader's yellow jersey after the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, POOL) New overall leader Ireland's Ben Healy drinks as he climbs during the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Ireland's Ben Healy celebrates taking the overall leader's yellow jersey after the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, POOL) New overall leader Ireland's Ben Healy celebrates on the podium after the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy) LE MONT-DORE, France (AP) — Ireland has a new cycling hero. Ben Healy became the fourth Irish rider to earn the Tour de France's yellow jersey on Monday with a gritty ride in the fabled race's first mountainous stage. Advertisement Healy led for much of the tough 165.3-kilometer route through the Massif Central — France's south-central highland region — but had to be content with third place after Giro d'Italia winner Simon Yates broke on the final ascent to take the stage victory. But Healy's push — he was nominated the most combative rider of the day on France's national day — was enough to take a 29-second lead over Tadej Pogačar in the general classification and take the yellow jersey from the three-time Tour champion. 'It's a fairy tale, you know,' said Healy, who claimed his first stage victory at the Tour on Thursday. 'If you'd told me before this Tour, I think I wouldn't have believed it. So a stage win and yellow jersey is just incredible and beyond belief, really.' Healy is preceded by fellow Irish riders Shay Elliot, who won a stage in 1963, Sean Kelly, who led after Stage 9 in 1983, and Stephen Roche, who won the Tour in 1987. Advertisement 'It's some pretty crazy footsteps to follow, isn't it, and I'm just super proud to represent Ireland and wear the yellow jersey for them and hopefully I can do it some justice,' said Healy, who was born in England and qualifies for Ireland through his father's parents from Cork and Waterford. Healy was 3 minutes, 55 seconds behind Pogačar when he started Stage 10, but he found himself in a large breakaway from the favorites in the peloton, and then forced the initiative over seven category two climbs. Supported by UAE Team Emirates colleagues, Pogačar fought back late. Healy watched as the defending champion finished the stage on the ascent of Puy de Sancy — the region's highest peak — 4:51 behind stage winner Yates. Healy was only nine seconds behind. 'UAE surprisingly let a really big break go up the road,' he said. 'We had four guys in there and, yeah, I've got to really say a massive thank you to (EF Education-Easypost teammates) Harry Sweeney and Alex Baudin today, you know, they were just incredible and I'm just so glad I was able to finish.' Advertisement Healy was not considered among the race favorites — two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard was expected to provide Pogačar with his sternest challenge. But wearing the yellow jersey means Healy will have to be more focused on the general classification than before. 'It would be rude not to be,' he said. 'I've got to respect the jersey and I'm in quite a nice position now, I guess, to try and hold on for as long as possible.' ___ AP sports:
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yates wins Tour de France's first mountainous stage and Healy takes yellow jersey
Stage winner Britain's Simon Yates climbs breakaway during the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Quinn Simmons of the U.S., center, and Ireland's Ben Healy ride in the breakaway during the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Ireland's Ben Healy leads the breakaway with Netherlands' Thymen Arensman, Australia's Ben O'Connor, Australia's Michael Storer, and Britain's Simon Yates, from right to left, during the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, and teammate Britain's Adam Yates ride on the Charade Circuit during the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Britain's Simon Yates crosses the finish line to win the the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy) Britain's Simon Yates crosses the finish line to win the the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy) Stage winner Britain's Simon Yates climbs breakaway during the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Quinn Simmons of the U.S., center, and Ireland's Ben Healy ride in the breakaway during the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Ireland's Ben Healy leads the breakaway with Netherlands' Thymen Arensman, Australia's Ben O'Connor, Australia's Michael Storer, and Britain's Simon Yates, from right to left, during the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Slovenia's Tadej Pogacar, wearing the overall leader's yellow jersey, and teammate Britain's Adam Yates ride on the Charade Circuit during the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Britain's Simon Yates crosses the finish line to win the the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 165.3 kilometers (102.7 miles) with start in Ennezat and finish in Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, France, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy) LE MONT-DORE, France (AP) — British rider Simon Yates won the first mountainous stage of the Tour de France on Monday and Irish rider Ben Healy was consoled by taking the yellow jersey. Healy was nominated the most combative rider of the day after forcing the initiative on the 10th stage, but Yates - who won the Giro d'Italia last month – timed his break perfectly on the final climb to win a stage for the third time. Advertisement 'It's been a long time, but actually I also was not really expecting any opportunities here,' said Yates, a teammate of two-time Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard. 'We came here fully focused on Jonas and the GC, so the stage played out in a way that I could be there for the stage. I took it with both hands.' Dutch rider Thymen Arensman was 9 seconds behind, while Healy finished third, 31 seconds behind Yates. Three-time Tour champion Tadej Pogačar finished farther back alongside main rival Vingegaard and French rider Lenny Martinez with a gap of 4 minutes, 51 seconds. It meant Healy, who claimed his first stage victory on Thursday, took the overall lead, 29 seconds ahead of Pogačar. Advertisement Remco Evenepoel was third, 1:29 behind, and Vingegaard 1:46 behind in fourth. 'I'm still behind and I have to take time at one point,' said Vingegaard, who remained positive that Pogačar wasn't too far ahead. 'So far I've been able to follow all his attacks which I couldn't do in (Critérium du) Dauphiné," Vingegaard said, referring to the traditional Tour curtain-raiser. 'I think that that shows that I have a better level now than I had in Dauphiné.' Stage 10 took the riders on an arduous 165.3-kilometer route in the Massif Central — France's south-central highland region — from Ennezat through seven category two climbs. It finished on the ascent of Puy de Sancy — the region's highest peak — after 3.3 kilometers of an 8% gradient climb. Advertisement French rider Julian Alaphilippe lived up to expectations with the first break on France's national day, Bastille Day, carving out a 10-second lead before he was caught on the first climb up Côte de Loubeyrat. Norwegian rider Søren Wærenskjold had to withdraw early as the tough start proved too much after his crash the day before. German rider Georg Zimmermann withdrew before the start following his crash on Sunday. His team, Intermarché-Wanty, said he 'developed signs of a concussion during the night.' Dutch sprinter Marijn van den Berg also retired due to injuries from his crash on Stage 1, EF Education-Easypost said. The riders can look forward to their first rest day on Tuesday. ___ AP sports:
