After a frustrating Amstel Gold Race, where Ben Healy admitted he had the legs but "missed out a little bit here or there" on his way to tenth, the EF Education-EasyPost rider bounced back in style, executing the team’s plan perfectly to claim his first Monument podium at Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday.
“A podium in a monument, that was always a goal and that's what I've worked so hard this winter for, and I'm ecstatic with it,” said Healy, who was all smiles while wearing his medal after walking away from the podium ceremonies.
“I’m just so happy, and I just want this to settle in now.”
Healy stayed attentive and positioned himself well as the peloton charged toward the base of La Redoute, the anticipated launchpad for attacks.
Sure enough, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) surged to the front and rode clear, his pace unmatched. Sticking to the team plan, Healy kept his composure, climbing at his own rhythm and hoping the world champion could be brought back, just as he was at Amstel Gold a week earlier.
“We’ve seen so many times Tadej has this like nuclear attack on these climbs, and I just think if you follow, you just burn yourself, and our plan all along was to try and set a steady tempo as steady as you can go.
“People were able to jump across [at Amstel Gold Race] and that was always our plan from the beginning, but it didn't quite go out that way, and I think Tadej was just on another level today.”
Healy joined Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor), Tom Pidcock (Q36.5), and Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) in a chase group, but the gap to Pogačar quickly grew beyond reach.
“I think everyone was pulling as hard as they possibly could. I don't think we were we were hanging about," he said.
Healy and Ciccone broke away from the chase group as they crested the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons inside of 14km to go, flying to the finish line locked in a battle for second place.
“I had good legs and was able to follow the favourites. I made it into Roche-aux-Faucons with a bit of a gap and still had the legs to go. Over the top, me and Giulio fully committed to the line.”
Healy led into the final 500 metres, with Ciccone coming around before the line to secure second place, leaving the Irishman to take third place.
“I sort of bottled it in the finish but what can you do?" he said of the closing sprint.
After a slow start to the season, Healy showed good form in April, starting with a stage victory from the breakaway in the Itzulia Basque Country, followed by tenth at Amstel Gold and fifth at La Flèche Wallonne after trying to anticipate the Pogačar attack.
“I'm super happy. First Monument podium, and I'm just really happy that I could pay the team back with this. They were great for all our Ardennes campaign.”
