Ben Healy is 'kinda happy' despite a quiet start to his season in France, a sentiment that might surprise many!
As he embarks on his fifth year as a World Tour cyclist, Ben Healy has kicked off his 2024 campaign with a couple of races in France. He wasn't exactly in the spotlight at the finish lines of these events, but he's expressed satisfaction with his performance, seeing it as a solid stepping stone towards his bigger goals. Healy even admitted that he typically "struggles with the first race" of the season, making his current results even more understandable.
"It was expected from me, to be honest I do struggle with the first race and, actually, I did a pretty good performance," Healy shared about his 20th place finish at the Faun-Ardèche Classic (1.Pro). He described himself as "kinda happy" with this outcome, especially considering the demanding nature of the race.
This particular race featured a significant 3,400 meters of elevation gain, which certainly tested the riders. The victory went to the promising young French rider, Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM Team), marking his second win of the season. He crossed the finish line a remarkable 1 minute and 48 seconds ahead of the competition. Following him was a chase group, with Jan Christen (UAE Team Emirates XRG), Lenny Martinez (Bahrain-Victorious), and Matteo Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike) securing the next positions.
Healy finished in 20th place, trailing the winner by 5 minutes and 14 seconds. His teammate, Darren Rafferty, who was providing support for Healy, did not finish after completing his duties. Another Irish rider, Jamie Meehan (Cofidis), in his first full professional season, came in 61st place, 9 minutes and 54 seconds behind the leader.
Just a day later, on Sunday, all three Irish riders were back in action at the 185km Faun Drome Classic (1.Pro). This time, Healy secured 44th place, finishing just 1 minute and 7 seconds behind the winner, Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ United). Grégoire clinched the win with a strong final sprint after a two-man breakaway on the final kilometer climb, holding off a hard-charging peloton.
Healy was part of that chase group as the climb began but didn't feature in the final push. Lenny Martinez finished 3rd, just 2 seconds behind the top two.
From an Irish perspective, after Healy, Meehan finished 63rd at 6 minutes and 7 seconds, and Rafferty was 119th at 13 minutes and 32 seconds. These two demanding days in France have undoubtedly helped them build race fitness.
But here's where it gets interesting... Healy's history suggests he often takes a few races to hit his stride. Last year, he finished 103rd and 30th at these same events. However, the following weekend, at the Strade Bianche (1.UWT), with the early-season rust shaken off, he achieved an impressive 4th place, which was the start of a fantastic run of form.
And this is the part most people miss... Healy is slated to compete in the Strade Bianche again next Saturday. This race will be a much better indicator of his current form. Rafferty will be racing in Italy at the Trofeo Laigueglia (1.Pro) on Wednesday.
What do you think? Is Ben Healy's 'kinda happy' approach the smart way to build towards bigger goals, or should riders be aiming for more immediate impact? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
