Tour de France 2025 through the lens of James Startt - Stage 10

Ben Healy’s Tour de France was already a success after his victory in Vire in the opening week, but the EF Education-EasyPost rider was never likely to rest on those laurels. Attacking is his raison d’être, and he was on the offensive again as the Tour hit the Massif Central on Monday.

This time out, Healy’s target in the break became the yellow jersey. He hit the front of the move with 40km remaining and barely relented until the foot of the final climb, desperately seeking to hold off Tadej Pogacar.

Although Healy couldn’t match stage winner Simon Yates in the finale, he did enough on the ascent to Le Mont-Dore to move into the yellow jersey, albeit after a nervous wait for Pogacar to finish.

Healy, as ever, crossed the line on empty, but he got his reward. He becomes the fourth Irish rider to lead the Tour after Shay Elliott in 1963, Sean Kelly in 1983 and Stephen Roche in 1987.

James Startt is covering his 36th Tour de France. He is a two-time winner of the World Sports Photography awards and he currently serves as the creative director to inGamba luxury cycling tours.