Ben Healy has agreed a new multi-year contract with EF Education-EasyPost after his breakthrough Ardennes Classics campaign and impressive Giro d’Italia.
The 22-year-old Irish rider joined EF Education-EasyPost from Trinity Racing development team in 2022 and blossomed this year. He is regarded as a future hilly Classics winner and attracted interest from a number of other major teams but opted to stay with EF Education-EasyPost.
“I am super happy to announce that I have signed a new contract with the team and that I am going to be continuing to race in pink,” Healy said.
“This team is just a nice environment to be in. It gives me a lot of opportunities to race the way that I want to race. It is just a happy team to be a part of.”
Healy showed he was on track to perform well in the spring by winning a stage and finishing third overall at the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali in late March. He then won the GP Industria & Artigianato one-day race in Italy and was second at De Brabantse Pijl the Ardennes Classics began.
He broke away with Tadej Pogačar and Tom Pidcock in the Amstel Gold Race, distancing the Ineos Grenadiers rider to take second. A week later he repeated his performance with fourth at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
Healy was then part of the breakaway on the road to Fossombrone during stage 8 of the Giro, before taking off alone to solo to victory in his debut Grand Tour.
A week later he finished second to Brandon McNulty in Bergamo after impressing on the hills of Il Lombardia by again joining the right attack. His aggressive racing but laid-back attitude made him one of the revelations of the spring.
“We’re very proud that Ben will stay with us and we can continue the journey together,” EF Education-EasyPost team manager Jonathan Vaughters said.
“It’s always extra special when a talent that comes to you in the beginning of their pro career achieves something special and that you’re able to keep him on the team. He’s a truly nice person. He lends a helping hand in so many ways. I loved watching him do that feed at Roubaix.
“He’s a genuine, kind soul who’s a killer in the races but a selfless person in his day-to-day life.”
Heayl took a break after completing the Giro d’Italia and is expected to target the second half of the season, including Il Lombardia.
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