“My father worked with horses and told me that the strongest had a special character” – EF Education–EasyPost believe Ben Healy is heading to the top

At just 24 years old, Ben Healy continues to prove he’s one of the most exciting talents in the peloton. The EF Education–EasyPost rider, a two-time Irish national road race champion and Giro stage winner in 2023, secured his first-ever Monument podium last weekend with an impressive third place at Liège–Bastogne–Liège, another major step forward in an already promising career.

Speaking to Bici.Pro, EF Education–EasyPost sports director Charly Wegelius offered insight into Healy’s evolution from promising amateur to one-day contender and Grand Tour stage hunter.

“He had already achieved excellent results as an amateur and that's why we wanted him with us. In the first year we decided to let him race without looking for specific peaks of form in order to decide on a mixed program, in order to understand where to frame him in cycling at this level.

“The following season we focused more specifically on one-day races. That year he fell in February and I remember that he did some impressive work on the rollers, to the point that shortly after he managed to finish 2nd at the Amstel behind Pogacar and compete in an excellent Giro d'Italia. Precisely by virtue of that experience, this season we tried to recreate a program similar to 2023, and for now I would say it's working.”

Wegelius emphasised that Healy’s progress hasn’t just been about physical development, but also about understanding how to prepare and race at the top level.

“All the riders who come to a team like ours have great qualities, but then you have to understand how to make them work. After seeing what Ben did in the first year, when as I said we avoided doing specific work, he convinced us of his value. At that point it didn't take a genius to understand that with targeted preparation he would only improve. And in fact that's what happened.”

Healy will now take a short break before beginning his build-up towards the Tour de France, with further ambitions for the World Championships and end-of-season Italian classics.

“Now he will take a break from racing and prepare for the Tour. Then we will aim for the world championships and then the end-of-season classics in Italy.”

At the Tour, Healy won’t focus on the overall standings but will instead look for specific opportunities, targeting select stages or potentially even the polka dot jersey.

“We are discarding the ranking for now, because it would mean doing an anonymous race and precluding bigger goals. For him at this moment it is better to go out of the ranking and aim for some specific stages, maybe less than usual, but in a more precise way. Even if it is not easy with him, because he always wants to attack. He could also think about the polka dot jersey, but that will be seen at the moment based on how the race goes. Of course for someone like Ben it remains a possible goal.”

What makes Healy such a compelling rider is his mix of aggression and tactical awareness, traits Wegelius believes are grounded in both self-knowledge and maturity.

“He's aware of both his abilities and his limits, and he runs accordingly. Luckily for everyone, the result is that this often creates very entertaining races, but there's always a thought behind it. He knows he can maintain high speeds for a long time and today's cycling forces you to start from far away, to anticipate, also because he doesn't have a great sprint and therefore he knows he has to arrive alone.”

There’s also an ambition to broaden his skillset and eventually test himself over a full week of GC racing.

“We don't want to discard anything, because he's still growing. Sooner or later we'd like to try to rank in a week-long race and see how it goes from there. When there's space we'll try to experiment and understand together. I don't think he's reached his physical limits yet. And if Pogacar wasn't there...”

Wegelius was quick to acknowledge the dominance of Tadej Pogacar, but also emphasised that every era eventually changes, and when it does, Healy could be ready to take over.

“The problem is that not only is he very strong, but he has a very high level team. We must take note of his superiority and accept the fact that his presence also changes the race tactically. But we must not give up before starting, he is also a human being and we will always try. As with rain or sun there is a tendency to think that what we have in front of us will last forever, but it is not like that. The moment will come when even Pogacar will be beaten, when there will be a glimmer of light, and that day Ben will be ready.”

Behind the scenes, Healy has also impressed with his character and intelligence, qualities that have made him a favourite among teammates and staff alike.

“He is a very quiet guy, he is not one to raise his voice, he has a good soul, he always thinks a lot before speaking. He has brains, he understands what is happening around him. Outside his bubble, for example, he is one of those riders who notices all the work that the staff does for him. When you talk to him you have to be prepared too, because he knows the technical aspects of cycling well, such as aerodynamics and mechanics. I would say that in general it is very easy to work with him.”

Wegelius concluded with a striking reflection on what sets champions apart, and why Healy has that rare spark.

“I would say that there are many very strong runners, but often what distinguishes those who have a higher level is the mentality. Everyone makes efforts and sacrifices, but the higher ones have a different character. They have something different, a determination, an awareness, that is even more visible in one-day races.

“Because you know that those few hours are the concentration of maybe months of work and you have to have a particular mentality to not get anxious and give the best of yourself. There, in that moment.

“My father worked with horses and told me that the strongest had a special character that he noticed immediately. In my opinion it is similar with runners, champions have something special that differentiates them from the others. And Ben certainly falls into this category.”