‘I proved I can do it last year ’- Irish champion Ben Healy expects to be a marked man in Ardennes Classics

While he had a couple of wins in Italy and a strong second place in Brabantse Pijl beforehand, he went into that Ardennes Classics week, which also includes the midweek Fleche-Wallonne, a relative unknown and came out of it a star.

“Yeah, this is where I broke out last season and I’ve some really fond memories of these Ardennes races,” Healy says, from his team hotel in Limburg ahead of tomorrow’s first adventure in the hills of Holland and Belgium, the Amstel Gold Race. “Even doing the course recce today, it was really cool to be back.”

Healy’s performances were all the more remarkable last year as he had broken his hand earlier in the season and was forced to train indoors for much of the lead-up to the events.

“It’s a bit of a different approach to last year,” he admits of his 2024 preparations. “I didn’t break my hand this year, which is nice. I’ve had time to go to altitude beforehand and do some proper preparation and hopefully I’ll reap the rewards this weekend. I’ve worked hard to get in good shape for this and I’m looking forward to the week.”

The fact that Healy went on to win a stage of the Giro d’Italia and Tour of Luxembourg afterwards, and then took the Irish road title, means he won’t be sneaking into the Ardennes under the radar this time around.

“We’ve seen what I could do last year so I think maybe there is a bit more pressure this year,” admits the 23-year-old. “But I just want to go out and ride my own race, just race the way I normally would and try not to let it affect anything. I think if you let the pressure get to you, then you start making silly decisions and you can’t do that. I’ve just got to keep a cool head and just race as I always do.”

Alongside Dutchman Marijn van den Berg and Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz, Healy goes into the race as part of a three-pronged attack for his EF Education-Easypost team.

Van den Berg is on fire at the moment with a stage and overall victory at the Region Pays de Loir last weekend preceded by a stage at the Tour of Catalunya, while Carapaz won the Tour of Colombia in February.

“Marijn is absolutely flying at the moment,” says Healy. “Richard requested to be here and he’s going well too so for sure we’ve got a strong team in the race and hopefully we can do well.”

When asked which of the three classics suit him best, he replies that next Sunday could be his best opportunity for victory.

“I think they all suit me pretty well but I think Liege is probably the best one for me. The climbs are a bit longer and it can be a bit of a harder day. I think Amstel is dependent on how it’s raced. If it’s an easy race then maybe it’s a bit too punchy for me but it if it opens up early, then it can also be a really great race for me.

“On paper, Fleche looks really hard but it always seems to come back together for the last time up the Mur (de Huy). That seems to be the script for Fleche and I’m not super explosive so that maybe is my downfall. That final sprint to the line is something I’m not quite as good at, but I think it’s a lap longer this year so it could be a different race with a different scenario. Liege is the Monument though, that’s the big one. That’s the one everyone would prefer to win I think.”

For now though, all eyes are on Amstel Gold tomorrow and Healy is looking to move up a step on the podium this time.

“I proved I can do it last year. I’m here with the goal of winning and I believe I can do that on the day.”