Who is Oscar Onley? The talented Scottish climber breaking through at the Tour de France
Viewers scanning the Tour de France general classification will see a mix of wholly expected names and some comparative unknowns.
Tadej Pogacar leads the standings as his era-defining dominance continues; Jonas Vingegaard sits second behind his longtime rival. But accompanying the rider sitting fourth in the overall standings is a British flag: not former Tour de France winner and veteran Geraint Thomas, but the up-and-coming youngster Oscar Onley.
The 22-year-old has been enjoying a breakout season and is in action in just his second Tour de France. He and his team came in targeting a stage win but are on course for a top-five finish at the sport’s biggest race. With every passing stage he has surpassed both his own expectations and that of all observers.
So who is Onley, and what’s behind his meteoric rise?
Flo Clifford24 July 2025 12:50
119km to go: Sivakov has a mechanical at a bad time, with the pace hotting up on this climb. Storer has had one too and drops back.
As things stand the first group on the road contains: Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike), Lenny Martinez (Bahrain Victorious), Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers), Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Ben O’Connor (Jayco AlUla), Raul Garcia Pierna (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Will Barta, Gregor Muhlberger, Einer Rubio (Movistar), Felix Gall, Bruno Armirail (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), Michael Woods, Alexey Lutsenko (Israel Premier Tech), and Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X Mobility). A really strong group.
The Jegat group is 39 seconds back, with another group at 50 seconds, and the Nils Politt-led peloton at 1’15”. 10km until the top of the climb.
Flo Clifford24 July 2025 12:43
124km to go: UAE have taken things up because they’re not happy with Roglic getting up the road. Felix Gall is up there too with his teammate Bruno Armirail; Michael Storer, Mike Woods and Jorgenson are also in there and this group is rapidly swelling in numbers.
That group latches on to the remnants of the original breakaway, Wellens and Lutsenko, while more moves kick off behind. O’Connor goes again. Jordan Jegat, the new 10th place, is a few seconds off the pace too.
“UAE is pulling, so don’t waste that much,” Red Bull tell Roglic over the radio.
(AFP via Getty Images)
Flo Clifford24 July 2025 12:33
127km to go: What?! Wout van Aert is dropped from the breakaway group and simultaneously, Primoz Roglic powers up the road!
It looks like Van Aert drops back to be of assistance to Matteo Jorgenson, who is next to counter in a small group also containning the polka-dot jersey of Lenny Martinez.
Roglic presumably wants a stage win, but this is incredibly far out to go…
Flo Clifford24 July 2025 12:27
128km to go: Ineos put Sam Watson in the O’Connor group and he’s lasted all of about five minutes before being spat out the back. Rutsch has suffered the same fate from the first group.
UAE are trying to control things in the peloton but Ineos and Tudor aren’t happy with that. They bring the gap back to around 25 seconds.
O’Connor floats around in between and ultimatelu decides to go for it.
(AFP via Getty Images)
Flo Clifford24 July 2025 12:22
131km to go: Jonas Rutsch, Alexey Lutenko, Wout Van Aert and Kaden Groves have bridged across to Wellens.
Behind them more counter-attacks are in store, with a group of strong climbers including Ben O’Connor, Santiago Buitrago and Ivan Romeo launching some 24 seconds behind. The peloton is around 50 seconds back now.
Fun over: now the serious climbing starts. They’re onto the lower slopes of the first of three HC climbs, the Col du Glandon: 21.7km at an average of 5.1%.
Flo Clifford24 July 2025 12:14
Tadej Pogacar revealed on ITV4 earlier that he in fact had had a run-in with the Visma-Lease a Bike team car on the way to signing on this morning. “We were cruising behind the car, maybe a bit too close, maybe he wanted to brake check my brakes! But I was not ready. I crashed into the car, but it’s okay.” He’s laughing and smiling, so no harm done, we hope.
He’s told that Jonas Vingegaard has said he’ll risk everything, including second place, today. “I’m ready for him to go full, but risk everything, that’s a little bit exaggerating! Risking second place, I understand. It’s the D-Day, it’s the queen stage. Today is full on from start to finish, I think.”
(AFP via Getty Images)
Flo Clifford24 July 2025 12:10
141km to go: After a series of counterattacks Tim Wellens is alone out front. An enormous group containing the polka-dot custodian of Lenny Martinez is around 15 seconds behind him, with UAE sitting back and forcing Edoardo Affini of Visma to come onto the front to chase… and the two large groups eventually come back together.
“Tim, don’t kill yourself,” Pogacar rings over the radio. Wellens looks like he’s just holding the gap, rather than trying too hard.
The green jersey group of Milan is already 45 seconds back. It’s going to be a long day for them.
(AFP via Getty Images)
Flo Clifford24 July 2025 12:02
Milan wins intermediate sprint
146km to go: Jonathan Milan wins the intermediate sprint, 20 points in the bag and job done, with a very bandaged Biniam Girmay – who crashed in the final kilometre of stage 17 – coming across the line second.
Girmay miraculously had no fracture, according to an Intermarche-Wanty statement yesterday, and seems well enough to ride today, even though he couldn’t even hold both handlebars as he crossed the line yesterday and a collarbone issue seemed likely. Clearly made of very stern stuff.
Jonas Abrahamsen, Wout van Aert, Quinn Simmons, and Tim Wellens are the first to launch into the break.
Flo Clifford24 July 2025 11:54
The Visma trio of Jorgenson, Yates and Van Aert have perched themselves on the wheels of this Lidl-Trek train, no doubt readying to attempt to get up the road and hassle Pogacar from the get-go.
Roglic gives the camera motorbike a friendly wave.
2km until the intermediate sprint.
(REUTERS)
Flo Clifford24 July 2025 11:49