Ben Healy: Ireland’s Rising Star in Pro Cycling

At just 22 years old, Ben Healy has proven he belongs on the same roads as cycling’s biggest stars. With back-to-back victories under his belt and a sensational runner-up finish at the Amstel Gold Race, the Irishman from EF Education-EasyPost is rapidly emerging as one of the sport’s most exciting prospects.

Brief Biography

Ben Healy hails from Worcester, England, where he was born on 15 January 2000 to Irish parents. He first discovered his passion for cycling at age six on a local track before transitioning into competitive road and time-trial events. As a teenager, he applied for an Irish licence, honoring his family roots and unlocking more racing opportunities on the international stage. In the under-23 ranks, Healy quickly made a name for himself with bold attacks and consistent results, culminating in a standout performance at the Tour de l’Avenir. His burgeoning talent earned him a professional contract with EF Education–EasyPost, and he stepped up to the WorldTour in 2022.

Key achievements:

  • 2018 Tour de l’Avenir: Youngest stage winner in the event’s history
  • 2020 Irish Road Race Championship: First national title
  • March 2023 Victories: Secured the opening two wins of his pro career

  • Amstel Gold Race 2023:
    Second place, equalling Ireland’s best result since 1982
  • Brabantse Pijl 2023: Runner-up finish, matching a historic Sean Kelly performance
  • Tour de l’Avenir & Baby Giro Stages: Multiple podiums in prestigious U23 races
  • First Grand Tour Selection: Named to EF Education–EasyPost’s Giro d’Italia squad

Ben’s progression has been as rapid as it has been deliberate. Coaches praise his commitment to targeted weight management and aerodynamic optimization, innovations that have sharpened his climbing and time-trialling. Off the bike, he balances rigorous training with rest and data-driven adjustment, learning from every race. His ability to race smart in breakaways, combine power with patience, and recover across long efforts marks him as a future leader in hilly classics. In interviews, Healy emphasizes process over outcome, focusing on incremental gains rather than chasing headlines. With each new season, he refines his approach, proving that talent coupled with discipline can propel a young rider into the sport’s highest echelon.

Breakthrough on the Cauberg

In early March, Healy claimed the first pro wins of his career. Yet none matched the confidence-boosting impact of his performance at the Amstel Gold Race. After a hard-charging breakaway, Healy found himself in the final three alongside Tom Pidcock and WorldTour sensation Tadej Pogačar.

  • Keutenberg Attack. Pogačar launched a fierce assault with nearly 29 km to go, briefly dropping both Briton and Irishman. While Healy was distanced, he staged a determined comeback, bridging back to Pidcock and eventually dropping him on the final climbs.
  • Contested Finale. As Healy closed in on Pogačar, a race director’s car, unintentionally, overtook the Slovenian champion, offering him a momentary drafting advantage. Despite that interruption, Healy still crossed the line less than 40 seconds behind Pogačar, making history as the joint-best Irish finisher alongside legends Stephen Roche and Sean Kelly.

Reflecting on the day, Healy remarked, “Racing wheel-to-wheel with Pidcock and Pogačar proved I have what it takes to battle at the highest level.”

Evolution in 2023

By targeting marginal gains in nutrition, recovery, and equipment, he has improved his power-to-weight ratio, aerodynamic efficiency, and mental resilience. His campaign began with breakthrough podiums at Amstel Gold Race and Brabantse Pijl, carried through a gutsy ride at La Flèche Wallonne, and now points toward Liège–Bastogne–Liège and his first Giro d’Italia. With team management backing a stage-hunting approach and an eye on long-term development, Healy’s 2023 trajectory is both ambitious and carefully managed. 

Main pillars:

    • Strategic Weight Optimization: Shedding six kilograms through a tailored diet bolstered his climbing and punch on rolling terrain.
    • Precision Preparation & Recovery: Individualized race tapering and post-race regeneration protocols ensure freshness for every target.
    • Technical Equipment Upgrades: Aero-focused cockpit adjustments—narrower bars and inward-rotated hoods—have cut drag on flats and descents.
    • Race-Craft Advancement: Healy’s timing, energy conservation, and selective aggression have converted breakaways into podium finishes.
    • Mental Toughness: Embracing “long, hard days” as his comfort zone has given him the confidence to push through late-race pain.

Together, these gains have made Healy a more versatile contender—one who can seize a one-day opportunity or animate a three-week Grand Tour breakaway. His upcoming program balances the hilly Ardennes spring classics with a debut Giro, where a stage victory remains the primary goal. Sport director Tom Southam believes that if Healy’s legs endure the demands of three weeks, he could even emerge as an under-the-radar general classification threat. As the season progresses, each performance will both test and reinforce the structures laid down in training, nutrition, and mindset. 

Embracing the Challenge

In his own words, “I’ve proven I can mix it with the best. Now it’s about building on that belief every race.” As WorldTour teams recalibrate for spring’s monuments and Grand Tour ambitions, Ben Healy’s name has become one to watch. For fans craving edge-of-seat action and the thrill of a rising star, keep an eye on the young Irishman, he’s only just getting started.