Ireland’s Ben Healy lost his yellow jersey of overall leader at the Tour de France today after a torturous day in the blistering heat of the French Pyrenees.

"His stage win was just brilliant, the way he attacked, going for it at 40 kilometres out, he just has that style of riding that makes it really exciting."

Bryan and Lisa Healy were not planning to attend Stage 11 of the Tour de France, but when they found out their son, Ben, was wearing the yellow jersey, they booked a spontaneous trip to watch the historic ride in-person.

Healy was in the same main chase group as Pogačar after a fraught, hilly stage around the southern city of Toulouse when the UAE Team Emirates-XRG leader was thrown off balance by another rider's manoeuvre, falling some four kilometres from the line.

On Thursday, he won the sixth stage, and Ben Healy was perhaps the top favorite for the Tour de France's tenth stage. But the Irishman from EF Education - EasyPost put his ambitions for the day aside and secured the yellow jersey.