After "whirlwind" few months Ben Healy takes first Grand Tour stage win: "To top it off like this it's insane really"

The breakout star of the Spring Classics, Ben Healy has continued his impressive form into the Giro d'Italia, taking a stunning solo victory on stage 8 of the three-week stage race.

"If you can go solo it's always better. I know in big groups like this, group dynamics can play a pretty big role in the finish and I backed myself from a long move," the EF Education-EasyPost rider revealed in his post-stage interview. "I didn't want to take any chances today. I knew I had good legs and yeah, I managed to hold it to the finish."

After podium finished at Brabantse Pijl and the Amstel Gold Race plus a fourth placed finish at Liege-Bastogne-Liege, a first Grand Tour stage win is the perfect way to cap off what has been a life changing start to the season for Healy.

"The first climb I knew I had good legs and when I gave it a go and no one came with me I was like 'this is a good day,'" the 22-year-old, who rode clear on his own with 50km to go continued. "These past couple of months have been an absolute whirlwind. To top it off like this it's insane really."