"If I raced the first couple of weeks differently, I could have been in a really good GC position" - Ben Healy starting to believe in Grand Tour winning capabilities
Cycling
One of the most dangerous breakaway riders in the modern peloton, Ben Healy failed to take a stage victory on his Tour de France debut in 2024. That's not to say the Irishman didn't leave his mark on the race though, and so impressive was the EF Education-EasyPost rider, that he is even starting to believe in Grand Tour GC possibilities.
The 24-year-old was a consistent threat at the Tour de France this summer, although as mentioned, a stage victory to add to his success at the 2023 Giro d'Italia ultimately proved elusive. "In some ways, it was kind of cool. I was at the final of a Tour de France stage and really competing for the win and obviously, I'm disappointed, but I can't have any other feelings about guys being stronger than me at the end of the day," recalls Healy to Cycling News of his close call on stage 14.
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Like many at the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France this year, Healy's hopes were consistently scuppered by UAE Team Emirates and Tadej Pogacar. Unlike some others though, the Irishman doesn't hold Pogacar's unrelenting quest for victories against him. "I think if anyone was as strong as Tadej, they'd always do the same thing as well," he ponders. "If you can win the stage, you go for the stage. It's annoying but it was just cool to be a part of it all the same."
The fact Healy was there mixing it up with the likes of Pogacar and co has given the former Irish national champion food for thought though. "It's kind of got me thinking about GC a bit, that's a big thing that I've learned. I think if I raced the first couple of weeks differently, I could have been in a really good GC position going into the third week as well," explains the 24-year-old. "I think that's something we need to sit down in the off-season and talk about. I really want to do a repeat of this year [in 2025] and hopefully get some nicer results out of it, take what I've learned from this year and apply that to next year."
"But yeah, maybe, after the Grand Tour routes come out and I think there's opportunity there, then I think that's something that I definitely to maybe consider as well," he adds. "It's only my third pro year at the end of the day and I think every race, every season, I learn so much more and I'm only becoming a better rider for it."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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- exactly, he had an amazing season, but with these overstatements they don‘t do him good.Ketterechts08-11-2026
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