“He’s the silent assassin isn’t he?” – Luke Rowe marvels at Simon Yates’ epic Tour de France stage win
Cycling
Luke Rowe and Tom Fordyce dug into a dramatic first ten days
of the 2025 Tour de France on the latest Watts Occurring episode, with the
first rest day finally giving the peloton a moment to breathe. But not before a
wild Bastille Day stage gave fans a dose of everything that makes the Tour
addictive.
Simon Yates claimed the day with a brilliant win from the
break, but it was Ben Healy’s all-in solo effort that grabbed headlines, and
the yellow jersey. He becomes the first Irish rider in 38 years to wear it.
“This is his first stage win at a Grand Tour for donkeys
years,” Fordyce said, pointing out how Yates’ climb to victory was the result
of patience from the Giro winner. “Every time I went to the back, he was sat
there chilling… and it's like it comes down to the final climb. Only one guy's
winning this.”
Rowe agreed: “He's the silent assassin, isn’t he? Too good
to go under the radar, but they do.” Yates had EF Education – EasyPost’s Ben
Healy breathing down his neck, but the Irish rider had other priorities, namely,
the maillot jaune.
Healy, who already took a stage earlier in the Tour, didn’t
wait around for help from his breakaway companions. With over three minutes
needed to leapfrog into yellow, he just put his head down and went.
“He just nailed himself against a brick wall,” Rowe said.
“Tenacious, pitbull mentality.”
EF had the numbers early, four in the break, then three.
From there it was a team time trial, then a solo grind. “He didn’t even blow up
on the last climb. Paced it perfectly,” Rowe added.
Yates took the stage, but Healey’s yellow jersey was the
moment of the day. As for UAE and Tadej Pogacar? Fordyce and Rowe both reckon
the yellow jersey wasn’t given up voluntarily.
“They rode hard for so long and pinned it at two minutes,”
Rowe said. “They wanted to keep the jersey.”
But EF’s Harry Sweeney and Alex Baudin turned up the
pressure. Eventually UAE had to make the call, burn the team or let it go. “I
think they lost the jersey, not through choice,” said Rowe.
It must be said that at one point within the final 20
kilometres, Ben Healy was dragging the breakaway along at a speed faster than
Marc Soler at the front of the peloton.
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The pair spent time debating Visma’s tactics too. Sending
Yates up the road could suggest confidence in depth, or concern about Jonas
Vingegaard’s ability to go it alone.
“For the first time, you saw that he might be isolated,”
Rowe observed. “Visma have the numbers. UAE didn’t.”
Still, Visma might just be flexing. “They’ve already done
what most teams would call a successful Tour, won a stage,” Fordyce said. “Now
they’ve got numbers, and they’ve still got Yates.”
Rowe, though, wasn’t convinced: “I’d just have Yates there
with him. He’s probably the best climber they’ve got after Jorgenson. Maybe
Campenaerts goes up the road. But Yates?”
Fordyce noted the broader significance for EF, a team
without the budget or firepower of the Tour’s traditional giants. And, a team
who just before the Tour were hit with a set back as Richard Carapaz was forced
to pull out through illness.
“This kind of win changes your finances. You go into yellow
at the biggest bike race in the world—that’s a game-changer for the next couple
of seasons.”
Rowe credited the team for tearing up the rulebook: “They’re
not afraid to fail. If this is the way a race usually goes, they’ll go, ‘F---
that, we’ll do it our way.’”
On Stage 9, it was Mathieu van der Poel and Jonas Rickaert
lighting it up in a doomed-but-deliberate two-man breakaway. Rickaert got the
most combative rider award, and a podium moment. Van der Poel, called the shot
to go for what ended up being a 170km long attack. “He did that purely for
Jonas,” said Rowe.
Their Chapeau of the Day for Stage 9? Rickaert, with an
honorary half-share to van der Poel. For Stage 10? No question: “Ben Healy,”
Rowe said without hesitation. “He’s like a dog with two dicks.”
Beyond Healy, Pogacar and Vingegaard are both in strong
positions, especially given Vingegaard’s team strength compared to UAE’s, which
only grow in importance as we heard towards the mountains.
Rowe sees Oscar Onley as a surprise name to watch, as the
young Brit is looking incredibly strong so far. “He looks the best of the rest.
Fighting for a podium. Didn’t realize he was that good.”
And a final note on sportsmanship: when Lenny Martinez was
reeled in late, Pogacar and Vingegaard didn’t contest his position and let him
cross ahead. “Nice little touch,” Rowe said. “Eighth or ninth changes nothing
for them. But for Martinez? That’s a result.”
As the Tour enters its second half, it’s all still in play, and
getting harder to call. “Things happen in Grand Tours,” Fordyce said.
“Especially in the last couple days in the mountains.”
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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- great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
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- I think some are making much ado about nothing. Even though Jonas is getting older, before his crash in the Tour, he looked like a solid 2nd all the way home. No one can really climb with Tadej until this year, Eric Mas showed himself which I think was a one off year for him and Paul Seixas has been able to be pretty close to him. Whatever stage race Jonas enters as long as Tadej is not there he is a favorite to win.awp10-11-2026
- Giro or not Giro, he won't win the Tour!MajorPayne10-11-2026
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- Ciccone had a very strong end of season. Consistently attacking and livening up races. Hope he makes that last leap in progress and starts notching some significant wins. Great rider to watch.Occam10-11-2026
- Me too!!!!!Occam10-11-2026
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