Ben Healy's Quiet Start to the Season in France
Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) had a modest beginning to his fifth season as a World Tour cyclist, competing in France alongside his teammate and compatriot, Darren Rafferty. Despite not placing highly in the finals of either race, Healy expressed satisfaction with his performance, acknowledging his usual struggle with the initial race of each season.
Healy finished 20th at the Faun-Ardèche Classic (1.Pro) on Saturday, a race with a challenging 3,400m elevation gain, won by Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM Team). The young French star, Seixas, claimed his second victory of the season, solo by 1:48, finishing well ahead of a three-man chasing group.
Healy's performance was notable, as he placed 44th at the Faun Drome Classic (1.Pro) on Sunday, just 1:07 behind the race winner, Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ United). Healy was part of the chasing group during the climb but didn't feature prominently as the road became steep.
Healy's consistent performance is evident, as he finished 103rd and 30th at these events last year, and then placed 4th at Strade Bianche (1.UWT) the following weekend, indicating a gradual improvement in his racing form. He is set to compete in Strade Bianche again next Saturday, providing an opportunity to assess his progress in the early stages of the new road racing campaign. Meanwhile, Rafferty will be in action at the Trofeo Laigueglia (1.Pro) in Italy on Wednesday.
