Ben Healy Leads Tour de France 2025: What It Means for Pogačar and Vingegaard

Ben Healy Leads Tour de France 2025: What It Means for Pogačar and Vingegaard

Ben Healy leading the Tour de France GC is one of the most unexpected developments of the 2025 race—and it throws up some fascinating tactical and physiological questions for the final mountain stages. Here’s a breakdown of what it could mean for Healy, Vingegaard, Pogačar, and the broader GC battle:

🔥 Ben Healy: Can He Hold On?

Healy’s time in yellow is a huge achievement, but the odds are stacked against him retaining it through the Alps and final Pyrenean stages.

• Climbing Credentials: Healy is a strong climber (especially on steep gradients) and a punchy attacker, but he’s traditionally been more of a one-day or weeklong stage racer. His power data over long, high-altitude climbs is not in the same league as the likes of Pogačar or Vingegaard.

• Endurance Question: Holding yellow deep into the third week requires Grand Tour-specific conditioning, recovery, and experience. This is uncharted territory for Healy.

• Tactical Benefit: If EF Education–EasyPost play it smart, they can let UAE and Visma burn themselves out chasing. But Healy will likely need minutes in hand before the final summit showdowns if he wants to finish on the podium, let alone win.

Verdict: Healy’s in the form of his life and could hold yellow for a few more days, but a podium finish would already be historic. Winning still feels like a long shot barring a major shake-up.

🧊 Is Vingegaard in Trouble?

With Vingegaard 1:46 down, questions will inevitably arise:

• Recovery & Form: After his Giro crash, he’s clearly not yet at his top 2023–2024 form. His usual diesel-engine mountain dominance has yet to surface.

• Team Dynamics: Jorgenson is now just 20 seconds behind him. If Vingegaard shows further signs of weakness, Visma may need to reconsider who they back for a podium push.

• Tactical Isolation: With UAE and Evenepoel potentially working against him and Healy sitting as an X-factor, Vingegaard could become isolated unless Visma reshuffles tactics.

Verdict: Vingegaard is vulnerable. If he can’t drop Pogačar in the Alps, his shot at a third Tour title may slip. He’s not out—but he’s no longer the top dog.

🐺 Does This Help Pogačar?

In many ways, yes:

• Healy in Yellow = Buffer: Pogačar is no longer obligated to chase or control the race. UAE can force EF and Quick-Step to work, conserving energy.

• Healy as an Ally? If Healy and Pogačar find tactical common ground (e.g. chasing down Vingegaard or Evenepoel), it could open up gaps. While Healy isn’t a direct rival in the mountains, he’s a wildcard who could be used to stretch rival teams’ support riders thin.

Verdict: Healy’s yellow jersey gives UAE a slight tactical breather—just what Pogačar needs for the final week. He remains the race’s most dangerous rider.

🧠 Could Healy and Pogačar Work Together?

Possibly, but only short-term:

• Shared Goal: Dropping Vingegaard or Remco in the Alps could help both—Healy secures more buffer, Pogačar gains ground.

• Conflicting Objectives: Long-term, they’re both GC contenders now. Any alliance is likely to be opportunistic, not sustained.

📉 Is Vingegaard at Risk of Losing Team Leadership?

Not officially yet, but:

• If Jorgenson climbs better in the next two stages, and Vingegaard fades again, Visma could shift resources quietly. Jorgenson is consistent and aggressive—he might become the plan B turned plan A.

• The team has already shown flexibility (e.g., Sepp Kuss in 2023), so it’s not unthinkable.

⏱️ Current GC Summary

🧩 Final Thought

Ben Healy has blown the GC wide open, adding an unpredictable and refreshing dynamic. Pogačar is now in the catbird seat tactically. Vingegaard is on the back foot, and Evenepoel is quietly lurking. The Alps will decide whether Healy’s fairy tale becomes a legend—or just a brilliant chapter.