Yates Wins Stage 10 On Bastille Day As Ireland's Healy Takes Yellow

3 days ago

Steve Sutcliffe

BBC Sport journalist

Britain's Simon Yates won shape 10 of nan Tour de France connected Bastille Day arsenic Ben Healy became nan first Irish rider to declare nan yellowish jersey for 38 years.

Yates, who triumphed successful his 2nd Grand Tour astatine nan Giro d'Italia successful June, timed his onslaught superbly connected nan last ascent of nan 165.3km shape from Ennezat - Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy aft being portion of a long-range breakaway.

That group of 28 riders was whittled down importantly connected a punishing time that included 8 categorised climbs pinch nan Visma-Lease a Bike rider pulling clear of Thymen Arensman, Healy, Ben O'Connor, Michael Storer and chap Briton Joe Blackmore successful nan closing stages.

"It was a really difficult commencement to beryllium location pinch a batch of beardown guys and that's why I took that advantage conscionable earlier nan last climb because I was looking for a caput start," Yates said.

"It's been a agelong time. I was not really expecting immoderate opportunities here. We came present afloat focused connected Jonas and nan GC.

"The shape played retired successful a measurement that I could beryllium location and I took it pinch some hands. It's not easy. I person been getting amended each time since I person been here. I person been increasing into nan race."

Ineos Grenadiers' Dutch climber Arensman vanished second, pinch Healy, who was calved successful nan West Midlands, coming location successful 3rd and jumping to nan apical of nan wide classification, 29 seconds up of defending champion Tadej Pogacar.

Belgian Remco Evenepoel sits third, 1 infinitesimal further back, aft losing six seconds successful nan closing kilometres erstwhile Pogacar accelerated and only Jonas Vingegaard was capable to clasp his instrumentality from a group containing respective GC favourites.

The Dane is 4th successful nan wide standings, 1 infinitesimal and 46 seconds adrift of Healy, who will go nan first Irishman to deterioration nan maillot jaune since Stephen Roche won nan title successful 1987.

"It was insanely tough. It was a conflict against myself and I had to excavation successful heavy and my team-mates put successful truthful overmuch activity for maine that I really wanted to salary them back," Healy said.

"How often do you get an opportunity to put yourself into yellow? I had to return that pinch 2 hands and spell for it."

There will beryllium a remainder time connected Tuesday earlier racing resumes connected Wednesday pinch a 156.8km way astir Toulouse that is expected to extremity successful a bunch sprint.

The first large time successful nan Pyrenees arrives connected Thursday pinch a travel up to nan skis edifice astatine Hautacam.