A YOUNG Scots cyclist has been steadily climbing the ranks during this year’s Tour de France.
Oscar Onley, a 22-year-old from Borders town Kelso, cycling performance has stepped up a gear at this year’s tournament with standout showings that have highlighted his rising status on the international stage.
In Tuesday’s Stage 4, a 174km route from Amiens to Rouen, Onley finished an impressive fourth, crossing the line just slightly behind some of the sport’s biggest names – Tadej Pogacar, Mathieu van der Poel, and Jonas Vingegaard.
All four riders completed the stage in exactly three hours, 50 minutes and 29 seconds, with Onley narrowly missing out on a podium finish by milliseconds.
Speaking to Cycling Weekly about his positioning, Onley said: “It’s not really sunk in yet. It’s always nice to be racing against these guys.
“I really get a kick out of racing against the top guys, so it’s always good fun.”
He addressed the challenge of competing against two riders who have won the last five Tours de France between them and whose teams have claimed nearly a third of the stage victories in that period.
When asked by the sports publication if it felt demoralising to chase wins against such well-established opponents, Onley said no.
“Maybe because I’m young, I’m naive and I still think that I can do anything,” he said.
His fourth-place finish on Stage 4 – his best result so far – suggests he’s close to living up to that belief.
He continued: “I don’t want to get ahead of myself – I know my place, and it’s a different story on other climbs.”
Explaining his approach to the race, Onley said: “I’m just trying to get results, whether that’s stages or overall, in the end, we’ll see after three weeks.
“It’s really just [about] picking the days that suit me and going all in for them, and trying to relax on the days that aren’t so important.”
The result came after a solid sixth-place finish on Stage 2, a 209km stretch from Lauwin-Planque to Boulogne-sur-Mer, which propelled Onley to seventh place in the overall general classification, 55 seconds behind the race leader.
By the conclusion of Stage 4, Onley maintained his position in the general classification, tied for seventh with Joao Almeida, highlighting his consistency in this Grand Tour.
Onley’s Tour de France success builds on an already impressive 2025 season. Earlier this year, he won a stage at the Tour de Suisse and finished third overall. He also claimed fourth place at the Tour Down Under and fifth at the UAE Tour.
Riding for Team Picnic PostNL, Onley has showcased his climbing ability and race intelligence, making him a key contender to watch as the race progresses.
With the first individual time trial scheduled for Stage 5 on Wednesday, his performance in the sport will be closely observed as it could be crucial to his overall Tour de France ambitions.
