"I tried to refine my racing style" - Incredible legs and flawless tactics see Ben Healy take the biggest win of his career at the Tour de France

Ben Healy is a young rider still, but has achieved a lot throughout his career. However, nothing can compare to today's victory at the Tour de France in which he won in his own traditional style. The Irishman is setting himself as one of the very best breakaway specialists of an entire generation and now has a second Grand Tour victory in his palmarès.

"It's truly incredible, it's what I've always worked for, not just this year but my entire career. Hours and hours of hard work from so many people, I was able to repay that today, and that's fantastic," the 24-year old said in a post-race interview. Healy was part of the day's eight-rider breakaway, one in which he had to work incredibly hard to be part of. He was joined by other specialists such as Mathieu van der Poel and Quinn Simmons.

After last year's Tour debut he learnt further how to use his abilities as a rider, and used all that knowledge today. "Last year was an eye-opener for me; I started to believe I could do it. I just had to keep my head down and keep putting in the hard work. I tried to refine my racing style; I reviewed a lot of footage. That paid off today".

"I was on the attack from the start. I might have pushed a bit too hard to get into the breakaway, but that's how I do it. We really had to work to maintain the lead; it was a real pedal-to-the-metal fight all day". A single attack with 43 kilometers to the finish was enough to create the decisive gap to his group companions.

I" knew I had to break away from the group and pick my moment. I think my timing was good; I caught them off guard a bit. Then I had to keep my head down and give it my all until the finish." What first looked to be a well-timed attack soon proved to also be the perfect use for what were the best legs in the group. No-one could chase him down, and the gap only grew all the way into the finish in Vire Normandie - a very difficult final kilometers with two short but steep ascents.

"This was a stage I had circled in red from the start, to take it at the first opportunity, which is amazing," he admits. It is a dream triumph and a goal accomplished for EF Education-EasyPost already early in the race. "I grew up watching the Tour, hoping I could be there one day. That in itself is an achievement, but to win a stage: that's amazing".