As it happened: Yellow jersey changes hands on gruelling stage 6 of the Tour de France

Hello and welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of stage 6 of the 2025 Tour de France!

Here's what is on the menu today:

Yesterday was a time trial and saw some BIG shake-ups on the GC. Here's some stories to read if you need to catch up on what happened:

Tour de France stage 5: Remco Evenepoel uses pure power to win individual time trial while Tadej Pogačar moves into yellow jersey

'I don't have an explanation' – Visma left without answers as Jonas Vingegaard suffers heavy defeat in Tour de France time trial

Pogačar's perfection and Vingegaard's nightmare: Tour de France time trial brings major shift in GC dynamic – Analysis

As a result of finishing second on the stage, impressively just 16 seconds down on specialist and world and Olympic champion Evenepoel, Pogačar is in the yellow jersey today.

It will be his 41st day in yellow, so I'm sure you know what he looks like in the jersey, but in case you need reminding:

Today's stage is another punchy one and, to be honest, could suit Pogačar and his GC rivals, but the peloton might also think it's time for the breakaway to have a chance.

Would Pogačar's race lead be at risk from a breakaway rider? Probably not really.

Here's the GC standings if you want to see how many riders are close enough to Pogačar that they could take yellow (not many, unless UAE let a massive gap go out).

The current GC standings at the Tour de France 2025

The riders are signing on right now in Bayeux.

That is Bayeux as in the Bayeux tapestry.

It's also the home town of man of the moment Kévin Vauquelin, who is currently third overall after a fantastic start to the Tour. Could the home energy power him to a win today?

Want a full breakdown of the stage today? Head to our stage 6 preview and have a read.

It's a difficult one to call. You'd think it could be a breakaway day, but so often we see the big teams chase down moves and start the GC action on any stage possible.

Other news floating around this morning: it sounds like Tadej Pogačar is definitely set for the Vuelta a España this year, according to what his team boss told Velo.

It's the only Grand Tour he hasn't won.

Here's the livestream of the sign on in Bayeux, if you'd like to watch. The last few big teams are still to come.

Another thing to add to Pogačar's list of achievements: he's the first rider since 2011 to lead three classifications in the Tour. The only reason he isn't leading them all is because he is no longer eligible for the white jersey.

He's only the sixth rider to ever do this in the men's Tour.

45 minutes to go

The neutral roll out is scheduled for 12:35 CEST (35 minutes from now), with the flag drop at 12:45 CEST.

Visma-Lease a Bike didn't have answers after Jonas Vingegaard's time loss in the time trial yesterday.

You have to wonder if they'll try to bounce back with aggression today, even if just for a mental/morale boost.

From the pre-stage interviews and quotes floating around already, it sounds like a lot of teams are really believing in a breakaway today.

There's 3,500m of climbing in this stage, if you can believe it. Pretty impressive to cram that amount of elevation in when in northern France.

Here's a quick look on how possible it actually is for Pogačar to relinquish yellow today.

'Maybe they can take yellow as well' – Could a breakaway really trouble Tadej Pogačar's Tour de France lead on stage 6?

It would probably have to be Van der Poel or Vauquelin in a break for that to happen.

And here's some more to read about Vauquelin. Even if today isn't for him, it's a name you're going to want to remember.

'No legs left, but still had heart and lungs' - Young Frenchman Kévin Vauquelin lights up Tour de France time trial on home roads, moves to third overall

As expected, big support for Vauquelin in Bayeux.

While the focus in terms of the GC race has been primarily focused around the contrasting fortunes of Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard in yesterday’s time trial, the stage winner was of course Remco Evenepoel. The Belgian’s win saw him leapfrog Vingegaard among many others to move up to second overall, 42 seconds behind Pogačar.

It’s unclear yet how much he’ll be able to challenge for the yellow jersey come the mountains but that performance suggests he’s in flying form, and not suffering at all from his crash earlier in the race.

Mathieu van der Poel relinquished the yellow jersey, meaning his attention now shifts back primarily to chasing stage wins. He already has one in the bag from Boulogne-sur-Mer, and could be hoping to add to that today - but is the finishing climb just a little too steep for him?

The riders are off and running from the unofficial start in Bayeux.

It’s a hot day in northern France. With over 200km to complete, many of them uphill, this could be a really trying day in the saddle.

There's just 500m to go until the official start, where we're anticipating multiple attacks, on what feels like the first real chance of a breakaway win of this year's Tour.

And they're off!

OFFICIAL START

No attacks yet - instead, there’s a long line of Intermarché - Wanty that’s taken control of the peloton.

It seems the Intermarché - Wanty riders must have their eye on the intermediate sprint, coming up about 20km into the stage. If they can keep the race controlled before then, they can help Biniam Girmay pick up some points in the green jersey classification.

There’s a Lidl-Trek also in this long line of Intermarché - Wanty riders that continue to lead the peloton. Their leader Jonathan Milan is also on the hunt for points.

There still hasn’t been even an attempt at an attack. We can assume that some unofficial and//or unspoken pact has been made not to do so until after the intermediate sprint, which Lidl and especially Intermarché have indicated they’re going to go for.

Here are the points classification rankings as they stand:

1 Pogačar 97

2 Milan 92

3 Girmay 87

4 Van der Poel 80

5 Merlier 72

We're about 10km away from the sprint. We can expect the race to carry on in this holding pattern, until the teams of the green jersey candidates start to lead-out their men.

190KM TO GO

While Girmay and Milan might otherwise have been happy to let this sprint pass by with breakaway riders taking the points, the presence of Pogačar at the top of the classification may have promoted them into action. With so many potential stage wins on the cards for the Slovenian, including today, there’s a chance he might end up winning this classification by default - therefore the likes of Girmay and Milan need to take every chance they can get to gain points.

It’ll be interesting to see if Van der Poel gets involved in the intermediate sprint. He had stated at the start of the Tour that he wasn’t going to target the green jersey, but might that change now he finds himself fourth in the classification, and his team’s primary candidate Jasper Philipsen out of the race?

We’ll also keep an eye on Tim Merlier. He didn’t go for the intermediate sprints in the opening stages, but did after winning his first stage.

The riders at the start in Bayeux earlier.

Intermarché - Wanty have upped the pace ahead of the sprint.

There's a line of Alpecin riders involved, so Van der Poel looks set to get involved.

Just 1km until the sprint.

180KM TO GO

Lidl take over at the front with Milan second in line.

Intermarché take over again.

Milan takes the points, from Girmay and Van der Poel.

And now come the attacks from the peloton - Healy and Simmons ignite hostilities.

A couple of the Intermarché riders who did the pace-setting at the start of the stage are now off the backof the peloton.

Healy and Simmons are 15 seconds ahead.

That was a fun start to the stage! Perhaps hilly / mountainous days at the Tour should more often start with an intermediate sprint?

Here were the rankings from the sprint, and how many points they earned.

1 Milan 20

2 Van der Poel 17

3 Girmay 15

4 Turgis 13

5 Simmons 11

6 Healy 10

7 Groves 9

8 Alaphilippe 8

9 Rex 7

10 Tronchon 6

It seems therefore that Van der Poel is indeed now interested in the green jersey. That could make the classification very interesting.

There have been a few very tentative counter-attacks out of the peloton, but still Healy and Simmons are alone out front 16 seconds ahead.

Powless and Haller have got a bit of a gap on the peloton.

Multiple riders have joined them.

Just 12 seconds for Healy and Simmons over the peloton, with multiple poursuivants iin between.

170KM TO GO

They're on the first climb of the day, the category three Côte du Mont-Pinçon. Riders are being dropped out of the peloton, including Tim Merlier.

Harold Tejada has bridged up to Healy and Simmons. He must be feeling good - although knowing the story told by the famous tapestry, stages that start in Bayeux don't feel like good omens for people called 'Harold'.

Victor Campanaerts has also joined the leaders. He's been given freedom by Visma to attack and get up the road.

That quartet is only a few seconds ahead of the peloton though - it seems the race is about to come back together.

And indeed is does, just before the top of the climb.

Simmons still has the energy to sprint and take the two points, with Hirschi second to the top to claim the reamining one point on offer.

Here's a look at how Intermarché - Wanty controlled the race at the start of the stage - and the huge crowds watching them do so.

Here are the updated KOM standings:

1 Pogačar 5

2 Wellens 5

3 Vingegaard 3

4 Simmons 2

5 Martinez 2

6 Thomas 2

It seems nobody wants the polka-dot jersey at the moment: Pogačar still leads the classification despite having tried to give it away, and won't wear the jersey due to his yellow jersey obligations. And even his teammate Wellens opted to wear his Belgian national champion's jersey rather than the polka-dots. It's Vingegaard, therefore, who's taking custody of the jersey today.

New attacks are being made from the peloton. Wout van Aert has tried a couple of times, and is now up the road with Castrillo.

The two leaders have about 10 seconds over the peloton.

160KM TO GO

Here was Healy and Simmons attacking earlier.

A group of about 6 riders are chasing Van Aert and Castrillo, and only a few seconds behind, but the peloton are close also - this could all come back together soon.

Those chasers have been caught, but Van Aert and Castrillo are still out there with a lead of about 5 seconds.

They've been racing for an hour, and already completed nearly 50km in that time, despite the hilly terrain.

Still Van Aert and Castrillo are hovering ahead of the peloton, with a lead of under 10 seconds.

150KM TO GO

Van Aert and Castrillo are caught, just as we’re about to start the next climb.

Mühlberger and Lutsenko are the latest to attack and get a small gap.

Van Aert is now one of the riders being dropped out of the peloton, having been in the break just minutes earlier.

Mühlberger and Lutsenko have been caught.

This is a steep climb, averaging 7.5% for 2.3km.

Wellens has taken over at the front, with the yellow jersey on his wheel.

Wellens accelerates at the top to seal the two points, with Woods following to take the other on offer.

COTE DE LA RANCONNIERE

The peloton has been significantly reduced by that climb. There can’t be much more than 30 riders there.

Van der Poel's on the attack! He's with Healy, Simmons, Tejada and Barta.

Among the riders dropped from the peloton is Primož Roglič. He still doesn't look himself at this Tour.

A slowdown has allowed Roglič and several others to rejoin.

It seemed the peloton had sat up, but the action's been reignited by Visma-Lease a Bike with a couple of attacks that UAE have to follow.

The five leaders have managed to build a promising gap though, of 30 seconds.

Their gap is growing, now up to 40 seconds.

140KM TO GO

Guillaume Martin is also trying to join the five leaders, about 25 seconds behind.

Still attacks are being made from the peloton. The leading Van der Poel group are 20 seconds ahead, not able to grow their lead.

Eddie Dunbar has a gap on the peloton and is trying to chase up to the leaders.

And Dunbar succeeds.

Simon Yates has accelerated out of the peloton. He, Storer and another rider have a gap.

Yates and Storer join the break, but the other rider was dropped.

So the lead group has now grown to 8 riders - Van der Poel, Healy, Simmons, Tejada, Barta, Dunbar, Storer and Yates. They have a lead of 12 seconds.

130KM TO GO

Madouas has jumped out of the peloton to try and become the ninth man in that break.

Madouas has not managed to go clear and is back in the peloton.

Five more riders tried to go clear from the peloton, but have been caught. And now a couple more try their luck - things have far from calmed down.

Haller and Raúl García Pierna are those two riders.

Campanaerts is the latest to try something, and has bridged up to Haller and Raúl García Pierna.

The leading octet are 20 seconds ahead of that chasing trio, who are in turn 15 seconds ahead of the peloton. Still the elastic isn't being allowed to snap.

120KM TO GO

The chasing trio is now a chasing quitet, with Eenkhorn and Hoelgaard joining them.

Those chasers have all been brought back by the peloton.

And now a new chase group has reformed - Campanaerts and Eenkhorn are in it again, this time with Valgren and none other than Kévin Vauquelin.

That means we have the man 6th on GC, Van der Poel, in the front group, and the man third on GC, Kévin Vauquelin, in the chase group.

Here's the break in its earlier iteration, before it doubled in size.

The Vauquelin chase group was, unsurprisingly, given no leeway, and are back in the peloton.

The leaders still have only 25 seconds. Meanwhile there's a group containing most of the spritners that is over 8 minutes adrift.

110KM TO GO

UAE Team Emirates - XRG have taken control at the front of the peloton, setting a steady pace. This might be what the break needs to built a proper advantage and for the counter-attacks to cease.

Apparently not - an Ineos rider has kicked things off again with an attack.

Foss was the Ineos rider, and he's been caught and passed by Mathieu Burgaudeau.

Burgaudeau is 10 seconds ahead of the peloton, but still 20 seconds behind the leaders.

Burgaudeau is back in the peloton, which is still being led by UAE Team Emirates - XRG.

The break's lead has, for the first time today, grown to over one minute. It seems the race has at long last settled down.

Still the gap grows, to 1:15. The break can breathe a long-awaited sigh of relief.

100KM TO GO

Here's the break in full, which will now be hoping they can make it all the way to the finish to contest the stage win.

Van der Poel is of course the headline name in the break. He would have been among the favourites for the stage win even in the event that the event of a bunch finish, so is even more so now. His main problem may be that everyone else in the break knows that, and will be watching him closely and not wanting to take him to a sprint.

Ben Healy is surely a rider who will try an attack before the final uphill to the finish. The Irihman might just be the most aggressive rider in the peloton, so it’s no surprise to see him in the break. He relishes the kind of hill terrain coming up in the finale, and could certainly take on Van der Poel.

The break will still have to work hard in order to be in contention for the stage win. The UAE-led peloton has pegged their lead to just 1:20.

90KM TO GO

By having the legs to get into the break today, it seems Simon Yates has found some form. The Giro d’Italia is well down on GC so won’t be repeating his heroics from that race, but has been given some freedom by Visma-Lease a Bike to go for the stage win today. He’ll try to capitalise on the steep gradients of the late climbs.

Quinn Simmons has been one of the most prominent riders in the last few weeks of racing (especially in the stars and stripes of his American national champion’s jersey), and did lots of work to make sure he was in the break today. He showed great legs to win a stage of the Tour de Suisse, and will be hopeful of doing something similar today.

Another angle of the break of the day.

Their lead has grown to two minutes. This is looking good for the break.

80KM TO GO

Eddie Dunbar is out in search of another Grand Tour stage win after his Vuelta double last year. The high mountains to come later in the race is more his kind of thing than these punchy ones, but the way he managed to bridge over the join this break suggests he’s in good form.

This is the first time we’ve seen Michael Storer out up the road for a while. The Australian came to the Tour having not ridden since the Giro d’Italia, where he finished 10th overall with a more conservative approach than that which he stormed to overall victory at the Tour of Alps beforehand. Already over half an hour down on GC, he’s evidently now targeting stage wins.

The gap continues to grow, now up to 2:49. That also means Van der Poel is now the virtual yellow jersey, by about 1:30.

70KM TO GO

Given his form this season, which includes a second-place at stage 3 of the Dauphiné, Harold Tejada has felt like a good shout for a stage win at the Tour. He did go down in a crash earlier in the race, but his legs seem fine today, managing to get into the breakaway.

Finally, the eighth man in the breakaway is Will Barta. He’s less heralded than many of the others but still has a strong engine, and is still hoping to add a Grand Tour win to his palmares having come so close in a time trial at the Vuelta five years ago, when, having been in the hot seat for most of the day, he was ousted right at the end by Primož Roglič by an agonising one second.

After a lengthy section of undulating roads, the riders are back on a categorised climb - the category three Côte de Mortain Cote 314. This is the first of four inside the final 65km.

Julian Alaphilippe is towards the back of the peloton, seemingly struggling to hang on. That’s a surprise as this is his kind of terrain, and he’s been looking in good nick lately.

Dunbar comes past Healy at the top of the climb to take the two points. The Irishman appears to be taking aim at the polka-dot jersey.

CÔTE DE MORTAIN COTE 314

The gap's at 3 minutes, with UAE doing the work at the front of the peloton. They're not setting a pace that suggests they're interested in the stage win for Pogačar today - nor in keeping hold of his yellow jersey from Van der Poel.

60KM TO GO

Away from the race today, Soudal-QuickStep’s CEO has been bullish that the team’s star rider (and yesterday’s stage winner) Remco Evenepoel will not be moving, despite recent speculation linking him to Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe. You can read the full story here.

'He's definitely riding with us for another year' - Soudal-QuickStep CEO Jurgen Foré insistent Remco Evenepoel staying with team in 2026 despite claims to the contrary

A dodgy moment in the break as Healy nearly loses control of his bike. He thankfully managed to stay upright.

The gap between the break and peloton has grown some more, to 3:40. It's looking very likely now that the stage will be one by one of these leading eight.

50KM TO GO

They're on the fourth climb of the day, the category three Côte de Juvigny-le-Tertre.

Dunbar isn't allowed to roll over and take the points this time, with Storer sprinting to take the 2 points. Dunbar is the 2nd rider over the line, to claim one point.

CÔTE DE JUVIGNY-LE-TERTRE

Here are the updated KOM rankings:

1 Wellens 7

2 Pogačar 3

3 Dunbar 3

4 Vingegaard 3

We have our first attack from the breakaway! And surprise, surprise, it's the irrepressible Ben Healy.

HEALY ATTACK

Healy's gone clear, and has a gap of 10 seconds already.

15 seconds now for Healy over the rest of the break, which is 3:38 ahead of the peloton.

40KM TO GO

There's no urgency in the break to chase Healy down just yet. His lead has grown some more, to 25 seconds.

Over 30 seconds now for Healy. The others have to be really careful here, as Healy has a huge engine, and will be difficult to bring back.

The peloton’s deficit to the chasing break featuring Van der Poel is pretty big now, growing to over 4 minutes. Nils Politt has just finished a very long turn at the front for UAE.

45 seconds now for Healy.

Healy begins the penultimate climb of the day, Côte de Saint-Michel de-Montjoie with a lead of 47 seconds. Don't be surprised if we see attacks from the chasers behind in an attempt to bridge up to him.

Healy's lead is growing even more on this climb! It's up to 55 seconds.

30KM TO GO

Here come the attacks from the chasing group - Simmons has made a move and has a few seconds.

Storer is chasing after Simmons.

Storer is onto Simmons' wheel, and the pair are riding away from the other chasers, being led by Van der Poel.

Storer and Simmons have opened up a lead of 20 seconds already over Van der Poel and the others.

Healy reaches the top of the climb, his advantage 50 seconds on Storer and Simmons, and 1:17 on the Van der Poel group.

CÔTE DE SAINT-MICHEL-DE-MONTJOIE

It seems Van der Poel is still doing the lion's share of the work in the chase, but isn’t making any inroads. Healy is 1:25 ahead, Storer and Simmons 56 seconds ahead.

The peloton has only just reached the top of the climb, 6 minutes after Healy.

That means Van der Poel is the virtual yellow jersey by some margin, while even Healy has closed in do about 1:30 of Pogačar.

Over a minute now for Healy over Storer and Simmons, with the Van der Poel group another 35 seconds adrift.

20KM TO GO

Healy's lead is starting to look insurmountable. It’s grown to 1:25 on the chasing duo, and a distant 1:55 over the Van der Poel group.

Healy is having to negotiate an uncategorised rise of about 9% for just under a kilometre, but it doesn’t appear to be giving him any problems.

1:50 for Healy as he enters the final 10km. There's just one more climb and the uphill finish left for him to complete before the stage win is his.

10KM TO GO

This is a remarkable display of strength from Healy. It’s not as if the chasers have sat up - he’s simply been much, much too powerful for them.

It seems Simmons is riding for second place now. He’s just tried attacking Storer, but Storer managed to follow him.

Healy's on the final climb, the category four Côte de Vaudry, with a huge lead of 2:10.

Healy might look tired but he's actually growing his lead on this climb, to 2:22.

Healy goes over the top of the climb. Less than 5m for him left to complete.

CÔTE DE VAUDRY

Healy won a stage of the Giro two years ago with a similar long range attack, but this is even more impressive. It also stands to be the best result of his fledgling but already very impressive career so far.

Yates, Dunbar and Barta have dropped Van der Poel and Tejada on the climb.

The sleepy atmosphere in the peloton has woken up with Skjelmose having to stop with a problem.

Back up ahead, Storer tried to drop Simmons on the climb, but the American in on his wheel.

All their efforts are for second-place, however, as Healy enters the final kilometre 2:24 ahead of them.

1KM TO GO

With just a few hundred metres to go Healy still isn't celebrating, but he is smiling.

Healy celebrates now as he crosses the line for an enormous victory!

HEALY WINS

Behind, Simmons leads Storer as they embark on the climb to the finish.

Storer attacks.

But Simmons manages to respond, and overtakes him for second-place.

Dunbar leads the next group home for fourth, with Yates fifth and Barta sixth.

And now Tejada and Van der Poel arrive home.

The peloton have made a lot of inroads, and suddenly Van der Poel is no longer guaranteed the yellow jersey.

There is some urgency in the peloton, with Visma-Lease a Bike having upped the pace on this climb.

They're sprinting for the line, and Tadej Pogačar is the first over it.

There must only be a few seconds in it between Van der Poel and Pogačar for the yellow - who will wear it tomorrow? We await confirmation.

Van der Poel looked absolutely spent on that final climb. This terrain was perhaps just a bit too hilly for his speciality, while his efforts from the previous stages this week might also have taken its toll - plus all the kilometres he spent today leading the chase of Healy.

It seems Van der Poel has indeed taken the yellow jersey - by a mere one second.

There were some time gaps in the peloton at the finish due to that uphill to the line, with 8 riders finishing together: Pogačar, Vingegaard, Evenepoel, Onley, Vauquelin, Lipowitz and Gall.

Almeida, Roglič, Mas and Buitrago all lost 5 seconds to them.

Carlos Rodríguez lost 16 seconds, while Skjelmose was badly affected after his late issue, and came home 40 seconds after the yellow jersey.

Ben O'Connor also shipped more time, losing 1:22 to the Pogačar group.

We're still waiting for the autobus group full of sprinters to arrive home.

Thanks for joining us today, for a stage that will be remembered for a stunning solo victory by Ben Healy. Be sure to return again tomorrow for stage 7, where Van der Poel will return to the site of his first Tour stage win, the Mûr-de-Bretagne, this time wearing the yellow jersey.