Tour de France 2025 through the lens of James Startt - Stage 6

There aren’t too many days for the breakaway on the Tour de France in the Tadej Pogacar era, but Ben Healy made the most of the leeway he was given on stage 6 to Vire. The Irishman is a master of the long-range move, and he has shown in the past that he knows exactly when to pick and choose his moment.

But even with all the forewarning, Healy’s breakaway companions were still caught flatfooted by his attack with 42km remaining on Thursday. Like his winning effort on the road to Fossombrone on the 2023 Giro d’Italia, this was a victory of the head and the legs. Healy knew he had the strength for a long-range attack, but he gauged the right time to strike. Easier said than done.

Even with a lead of more than two minutes over his closest chasers, Quinn Simmons and Michael Storer, the EF Education-EasyPost rider still had work to do on the stiff final climb to the finish, but the result was never in doubt.

Healy becomes the seventh Irish rider to win a stage of the Tour after Shay Elliot, Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche, Martin Early, Dan Martin and Sam Bennett. Eddie Dunbar, who was also in Thursday’s break, will have designs on becoming the eighth before this Tour is out.

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.