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Healy dons the yellow jersey and Pogacar loses ground: the Tour heats up

The tenth stage of the 2025 Tour de France has lit the fuse in the mountains, and it has done so with a day that, without being high mountain, has completely shaken up the general classification. Tadej Pogacar, who had comfortably held onto the yellow jersey until now, fought hard to resist the attacks from Visma-Lease a Bike, but at the end of the day he had to watch as Ben Healy snatched the lead from him. The Irishman took advantage of a well-organised breakaway to take the lead in the general classification on an explosive day marked by combativeness and strategy.

From the start, the stage promised to be eventful. The route, through the always treacherous Massif Central, offered a broken profile, with seven second-category climbs and one third-category climb, as well as several unclassified climbs that added up to more than 4,400 metres of elevation gain. It was terrain for the brave, for those who are not afraid of exhaustion and know how to play with tactical advantage. And in that regard, Education First taught a lesson.

Healy got into the breakaway of the day, accompanied by 28 other riders, including three Spaniards: Iván Romeo, Raúl García Pierna and Pablo Castrillo. Together with four teammates, the Irishman kept up the pace with a peloton that found no clear response from UAE Team Emirates. Pogacar's team failed to control the situation, and they paid dearly for it.

The one who did shine was Simon Yates. The Briton, who came to act as Vingegaard's wingman, had a flawless stage. He attacked at just the right moment and took the victory with authority, proving that the Giro was no fluke. Yates crossed the finish line alone, but it was Healy who made the biggest impact, taking second place and earning the yellow jersey and recognition as the most combative rider. He didn't win the stage, but he took home what was important.

Meanwhile, in the group of favourites, Pogacar tried to keep up. He responded strongly to two consecutive attacks from Matteo Jorgenson, who acted as a shuttle for a Visma team that holds nothing back. When the Slovenian reacted with a strong breakaway on the final climb, Vingegaard responded without batting an eyelid. And that, ultimately, was more bad news for Tadej: the Dane is still there, solid, waiting for his moment.

The stage also had a local flavour. It was 14 July, France's national holiday, and up to eight French cyclists joined the breakaway in an attempt to emulate their idols. They did not achieve victory, but Lenny Martinez made his mark by conquering five mountain passes and becoming the new leader of the mountain classification. The grandson of Mariano Martinez and son of Olympic champion Miguel Martinez, Lenny continues to write a family history linked to cycling.

With Healy in yellow and Pogacar still with the legs to fight, the Tour now enters high mountain terrain. Today was just an appetiser. The Pyrenees are coming up, and there we will see who is really in contention for the crown. Visma has already shown its cards. Pogacar has held out, but he is beginning to look with concern at the back of the peloton, where his team seems to have no answer. The Tour is not won in July, but it can be lost.