It was an incredible day that Ben Healy experienced yesterday. The EF Education-EasyPost cyclist finished third in the tenth stage of the Grande Boucle, ending at Le Mont-Dore Puy de Sancy, and wore the yellow jersey becoming the Tour de France leader. Healy's conquest is not only important for him and his EF Education-EasyPost team, but for all of Ireland, as he became the fourth cyclist in his country's history to wear the Tour de France yellow jersey. Before him, only Stephen Roche (1987), Seán Kelly (1983), and Shay Elliott (1963) had achieved this feat.

"It's a fairy tale. If someone had told me before the Tour, I wouldn't have believed it. Wearing the yellow jersey is incredible, simply incredible."

Healy's Tour had already started under a good star, and the spotlight was on him when he won the sixth stage after a solo breakaway.

"I don't yet know what this yellow jersey tastes like. It's truly a dream come true. If the other classification riders had started, I don't think I would have worn it, but in the last four kilometers I gave everything to have the best chance of taking the yellow jersey."

Born in Kingswinford in 2000, Healy appears smiling and incredulous about what he has managed to do. In grand tours, he had already distinguished himself by winning a stage at the 2023 Giro d'Italia in Fossombrone, but winning a stage at the Tour and then wearing the yellow jersey is something he never thought he could achieve.

"It's even more incredible, truly. I am extremely proud to represent Ireland and I hope everyone can enjoy this extraordinary jersey."