When Ben Healy raced to second in last Sunday’s Amstel Gold Race, he did more than clinch the most impressive result of his pro career.
He also made history, equalling the best Irish performance ever in the Classic. Healy’s result matched that of Stephen Roche back in 1982, and bettered the third place of Sean Kelly in 1980.
Considering the careers that duo went on to have, the result is highly encouraging.
It’s encouraging too in other ways. Sunday’s winner was double Tour de France champion and current world number one Tadej Pogacar. The third-placed finisher was Tom Pidcock, winner of the prestigious Alpe d’Huez stage of last year’s Tour, and the big future hope of British cycling. Healy is keeping good company.
“It really gives me confidence,” he told The Irish Times this week. “I was out front with a couple of the best riders in the world. Being able to race against them, to properly race against them... I’ll definitely take that with me into the next few races I do. I think I made a statement that I can compete with these guys.”
Healy went on to contest La Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday and while the wall-like finish of that race didn’t quite suit him, he hopes to be among the strongest again in Sunday’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège Classic. “For sure Liège could be a nice race for me,” he said.
Still just 22 years of age, the British-born, Irish-declared rider is making rapid progress within the sport. He showed flair early on by winning a stage in the 2019 Tour de l’Avenir in 2019. The race is unofficially regarded as the under-23 Tour de France; as a then 18-year-old, Healy was the youngest rider ever to win a stage.
In 2020 he became elite Irish road race champion and was a stage winner in the Ronde de l’Isard. The following year he was first, second and third on stages of the prestigious Giro Ciclistico d’Italia. He then turned professional with the EF Education-EasyPost team and had a very solid first season in 2022, going close to victory in a number of pro races.
Healy tended to attack early and was caught agonisingly close to the finish line on several occasions. This season things have been different. He’s a year older and stronger, had a very solid winter of training and lost six kilos in weight.
The combined effect saw him come out of the blocks flying in January, placing third in the Trofeo Calvia. He then fractured a finger in the Étoile de Bessèges in February, and while he was sidelined from racing for a month and a half as a result, he returned with a bang. He took his first professional victory on stage three of the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali on February 23rd, and secured third overall two days later.
He then shrugged off the fatigue of that stage race to win again on February 26th, soloing in well clear at the end of the GP Industria & Artigianato in Italy. His performances since then, including second in the Amstel Gold Race and second in Brabantse Pijl, have highlighted how much he has progressed.
So what’s changed? Becoming stronger and lighter has helped, of course, but so too has a related sense of self-belief. His current form has enabled him to change tactics, to gamble less in his attacks, and this has paid off. “Part of it [the success] is the way that I’m racing,” he explains. “I’m taking more confidence into the races. So I don’t feel as though I have to get ahead of the peloton to start with. I can follow the best guys at key moments, and that saves a lot of energy as well.”
Next up is Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday, and then the big target of the Giro d’Italia. He will line out in his first three- week race on May 6th with a clear goal in mind.
“A stage win would be great,” he said. “That’s the goal heading into it. I haven’t set too big a mark on my back so I am allowed to still get in breakaways [without being too closely marked]. A stage win would be super.”
Healy’s focus may change over time. His improving climbing and strong time trial abilities mean he is a rider who could develop into a general classification contender in such races, but he doesn’t want to presume anything right now. “I think it’s too early to say [about that], really,” he states. “I need to take it step by step. I’ll try to finish my first Grand Tour first.”
Whatever his future path, his coach Jacob Tipper’s assessment is very encouraging. “We started working together in June 2016. Since then Ben’s progression has just been amazing. He would just take enormous steps up every year, and to my delight would continue to progress throughout each season.”
At 22 and in just his second pro season, further improvement is surely on the cards.
