“I came here to really test myself on the GC” - Ben Healy ends Tour of Slovenia on a high with stage win ahead of likely Tour de France debut

After being bright and attacking throughout the week, Ben Healy was finally given reward for his efforts on stage 5 of the 2024 Tour of Slovenia as the Irish national champion took home the stage win in Novo Mesto.

“I came here to really test myself on the GC,” the 23-year-old of the EF Education - EasyPost team reflected afterwards, having ended the race in 7th overall at 44 seconds down on the eventual overall winner of the 2024 Tour of Slovenia, BORA - hansgrohe's Giovanni Aleotti. “I blew up a little bit yesterday so for sure I am disappointed there, but to take a stage win the end makes up for it."

“After losing out in the GC yesterday, I was here to take revenge today. I know how I can win, I know how I like to win and it was always the plan to go full gas on that first climb and try to catch them by surprise," Healy continues, recapping the events of the final stage. “In the end I managed to go solo. Then they caught me on the last climb of the day, but the GC guys were playing silly buggers and I managed to get a gap and hold it to the line.”

Both Healy and his EF Education - EasyPost teammate, Archie Ryan are expected to be returning to the Irish National Championships next week, where Healy will be defending the green and gold jersey he won for the second time in 2023 by over four minutes with a trademark solo attack.

After his breakthrough Grand Tour debut at the 2023 Giro d'Italia, Healy is also expected to get his chance to shine at the Tour de France for the first time in his career later this month when EF Education - EasyPost announce their lineup for the upcoming Grand Tour.