Very few sporting events are as physically demanding as the Tour de France or cycling in general. Irish rider Ben Healy won Stage 6 of the most historic bike race in the world, which also happens to be one of the most grueling.
The physical statistics from his ride prove just how hard it is on the body.
Healy currently rides for UCL WorldTeam EF Education-EasyPost. This was his first victory at the showcase race of cycling. He out-paced the rest of an eight-rider breakaway with approximately 40 kilometers to go to win his first-ever stage on the Tour de France. It was a dominant victory.
Stage 6 was not flat for long. The 201.5-kilometer route featured six minor climbs between Bayeux and Vire Normandie. It finished with a steep uphill climb on a 10% gradient. The cumulative elevation gain totaled 3,550 meters— or, in American, approximately 2.2 miles.
Not only was it a challenging course, riders were forced to deal with the undulating roads of sunbaked Normandy. They road primarily uphill on largely uneven roads in the heat.
Needless to say, Ben Healy had his work cut out for him! Especially on the attack.
"Tá Healy ag oscailt an bhearna – 27 soicind" 🇮🇪
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) July 10, 2025
Ben Healy has made a break and is ahead of the peloton 🚴 @RSAIreland @Irisproductions #TDF2025 pic.twitter.com/jNHXJPKPae
Healy ultimately won Stage 6 by almost two minutes. The ride took a serious toll on his body. EF Pro Cycling released the numbers from his four-hour and 36-minute push. They are insane.
- Distance: 205 kilometers (~127 miles)
- Average speed: 44.7 kilometers per hour (~27 mph)
- Max speed: 88.2 kilometers per hour (~54 mph)
- Average power: 268 watts
- Max power: 969 watts
- Calories burned: 4,434
- Average heart rate: 154 beats per minute
- Maximum heart rate: 189 beats per minute
Here is the full breakdown:
The numbers behind Ben’s stage 6 win on his Wahoo ELEMNT BOLT 3 🤩#tdf2025 pic.twitter.com/ouC1BtqB1L
— EF Pro Cycling (@EFprocycling) July 10, 2025
Ben Healy’s average power output is what is most impressive. To put that number in perspective, the average body produces approximately 100 watts of energy at rest. For most people, it reaches an average output of 200-300 watts for sustained moderate activity like walking or slow jogging. Healy hits that mark for a grueling four-hour climb on the Tour de France. I’d likely be well over 1,000 watts for even just a few hundred feet of the same ride. Insane.