Tadej Pogacar responds after Ben Healy takes yellow jersey at Tour de France

Tadej Pogacar has said he hopes Ben Healy “feels tired” ahead of the duo’s upcoming battle over the yellow jersey, after the EF Education-EasyPost rider became the first Irishman in 38 years to wear the maillot jaune.

Healy came third in a punishing Stage 10 through the Massif Central that was won by Britain’s Simon Yates, with Pogacar finishing in ninth on the day, and the Slovenian now trails Healy by 29 seconds in the general classification.

Tuesday, 11 July, marked the first rest day of the 2025 Tour de France, and in lieu of a press conference, Pogacar recorded his comments on the race so far as UAE Team Emirates-XRG enjoyed their traditional coffee-stop ride and lunch.

Speaking on the yellow jersey situation, Pogacar said: “We will see if Ben can hold on to the yellow jersey for a couple of stages.

“I think that he [Healy] spent a lot of time in the breakaway already, so I hope he feels tired and we can fight again for the yellow in the next coming stages – maybe not tomorrow [in stage 11 around Toulouse] but Hautacam and then the time trial [at Peyragudes] and Superbagneres - it's going to be three really nice climbing days.”

The 26-year-old Pogacar has two stage wins and four days in the maillotjaune so far in 2025, along with two days leading the points classification and four on top of the mountains classification standings.

Tadej Pogacar has spent four days in yellow so far on this year’s Tour (AP)

And he summarised the race as "so far, so good”, adding that “the first nine days were really hectic and nervous, and we expected this”.

“I'm just happy that we survived that. Now, our terrain, climbing terrain, is coming, so it will be less stress”.

While Pogacar is 29 seconds behind Healy, he remains 1 minute and 29 seconds ahead of Remco Evenepoel and 1:46 ahead of Jonas Vingegaard, who are expected to be his main rivals for the yellow jersey as the race progresses.

And the world champion thinks this second week could be “decisive”, adding that “the level is so high in this Tour”.

“I think the main goal for everybody will be this week, with the big mountains, with the uphill time trial. So, I think we can assess more in the upcoming days. But I think it's going to be a huge fight for the podium and for the yellow,” he said.

“This year, this week is almost as hard as the final week. So I think we can see already some big gaps in the GC in the upcoming days.

“I feel it's going to be an interesting week, I'm looking forward to Hautacam and especially for the time trial at Peyragudes – these two stages, I am really looking forward to.”

The Tour continues on Wednesday with a 156.8km circuit around Toulouse that includes a short, sharp climb on the Cote de Pech David followed by flat terrain for the final 6km.