News: Ben Healy wins Irish national time trial

Racing in the Irish champs, Ben Healy (from Kingswinford, England) has won the Time Trial with George Peden 2nd

News: Ben Healy wins Irish national time trial

EF Education-EasyPost’s Ben Healy takes his first WorldTour win with the Irish time trial national championships. In his first year with the team and first year as a WorldTour rider – Ben won the junior time trial title in 2018 as well as the under-23 in 2020 but this was his first time competing in the elite race, and Ben made sure to make it count.

L-R: George Peden who races in the UK (2nd), Ben Healy (winner) and Eddie Dunbar (3rd, former NFTO rider)

“I set the fastest time for the elites as a U23 a couple of years ago but never got to take the elite jersey because it was two different categories but on the same course and the same day,” Ben says. “For sure, it was nice to give it a good go and actually race for that jersey this time.”

With changing winds and a challenging 31-kilometer course, Ben knew the only way to win this one was to be bold and go out of the gate fast. The tactic paid off and saw him cross the line a full minute and a half faster than the next best rider. “It was slow on the way out and fast on the way back,” he says. “I did a pretty good split and it worked out well. I just held a nice average speed throughout the course. My legs obviously felt really good as well.”

In his first year in the top ranks of the sport, Ben has shown time and time again that he has the legs for a strong solo effort and often launches long solo attacks in closing stages of races. This victory though, is a special one for him. “It’s my first time racing for the elites and being able to take home that jersey is obviously amazing. It kind of takes that pressure off now that I’ve secured that win and it’s obviously a pretty cool thing as well.”

On Sunday, Ben will take the start of the elite road race as well, a race he won two years ago.