Ben Healy up the road for eighth day as Tour finishes in Paris

Fred Wright makes a move followed by Mads Pederse, Jasper Stuyven, Tadej Pogačar and Ben Healy (Photo: Etienne Garniere-Sprint Cycling Agency)

Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) has completed his third appearance in the Tour de France by going on the attack on the final day in Paris, the eighth road race stage in a row that saw him go on the attack.

While nobody could match the power of race winner Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), and eventual stage winner Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech), Ireland's Healy was in the next tier of riders racing at the front.

With three passages of the Côte de la butte Montmartre (1km at 5.4 per cent) to negotiate, a quality group got clear on the second passage, containing Pogačar, Van der Poel, Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) and Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe).

However, Decathlon CMA CGM Team eventually brought them back, hoping to set up Olav Kooij for a second stage win. But the final time up the climb, packed to capacity with spectators, Van der Poel launched, with Pogačar joining.

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Behind the leading duo - and with just 10km remaining on the stage - Healy had broken clear on the climb in a small chasing group, which rode hard after the leaders.

In that group with him were: Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike), Jasper Stuyven (Soudal Quick-Step), Matej Mohorič (Bahrain-Victorious), Per Strand Hagenes (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility).

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And for the remainder of the stage, it was a case of Van der Poel and Pogačar trying to hold off the chasers, who were trying to hold off the Decathlon CMA CGM-led peloton.

In the end, the gaps all closed gradually to the finish; the chasing group first absorbed by the peloton. And when that bunch had the two leaders back to just five seconds, into the final kilometre, Van der Poel surged away from Pogačar.

Yellow jersey Tadej Pogačar and eventual stage winner Mathieu van der Poel on the attack, but only Van der Poel made it all the way, taking an epic stage win (Photo: Thomas Maheux)

The Dutch rider was caught on the line by the front of the bunch, but just about hung on to win by half a length; an absolutely incredible performance, especially the manner he dispatched of Pogačar.

Van der Poel's team mate, Jasper Philipsen, was in 2nd and Pedersen took 3rd. Healy was 37th after his breakaway effort.

Pogačar wrapped up overall victory, by a whopping 6:26 from Evenepoel, with Isaac del Toro making it a 1-3 for UAE Team Emirates XRG.

The Mexican was 9:42 down, also winning the young rider classification, by 2:14 from French teenager Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM Team), who was also 4th overall.

Pedersen, after a monster performance through the Tour, won the points classification. Healy's team mate, Richard Carapaz, who the Irishman rode so hard for over the past week, won the climbers' classification, after claiming two stages in the last week.

Lidl Trek won the team classification, from UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe.

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