After a irritating Amstel Gold Race, the place Ben Healy admitted he had the legs however “missed out slightly bit right here or there” on his approach to tenth, the EF Schooling-EasyPost rider bounced again in fashion, executing the group’s plan completely to assert his first Monument podium at Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday.
“A podium in a monument, that was all the time a objective and that is what I’ve labored so exhausting this winter for, and I am ecstatic with it,” mentioned Healy, who was all smiles whereas carrying his medal after strolling away from the rostrum ceremonies.
“I’m simply so glad, and I simply need this to settle in now.”
Healy stayed attentive and positioned himself properly because the peloton charged towards the bottom of La Redoute, the anticipated launchpad for assaults.
Positive sufficient, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) surged to the front and rode clear, his tempo unmatched. Sticking to the group plan, Healy saved his composure, climbing at his personal rhythm and hoping the world champion may very well be introduced again, simply as he was at Amstel Gold per week earlier.
“We’ve seen so many instances Tadej has this like nuclear assault on these climbs, and I simply assume when you comply with, you simply burn your self, and our plan all alongside was to try to set a gentle tempo as regular as you possibly can go.
“Individuals had been in a position to bounce throughout [at Amstel Gold Race] and that was all the time our plan from the start, nevertheless it did not fairly exit that method, and I believe Tadej was simply on one other degree at present.”
Healy joined Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor), Tom Pidcock (Q36.5), and Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) in a chase group, however the hole to Pogačar shortly grew past attain.
“I believe everybody was pulling as exhausting as they probably might. I do not assume we had been we had been hanging about,” he mentioned.
Healy and Ciccone broke away from the chase group as they crested the Côte de la Roche-aux-Faucons within 14km to go, flying to the end line locked in a battle for second place.
“I had good legs and was in a position to comply with the favourites. I made it into Roche-aux-Faucons with a little bit of a niche and nonetheless had the legs to go. Excessive, me and Giulio totally dedicated to the road.”
Healy led into the ultimate 500 metres, with Ciccone coming round earlier than the road to safe second place, leaving the Irishman to take third place.
“I form of bottled it within the end however what are you able to do?” he mentioned of the closing dash.
After a gradual begin to the season, Healy confirmed good type in April, beginning with a stage victory from the breakaway within the Itzulia Basque Nation, adopted by tenth at Amstel Gold and fifth at La Flèche Wallonne after making an attempt to anticipate the Pogačar assault.
“I am tremendous glad. First Monument podium, and I am simply actually glad that I might pay the group again with this. They had been nice for all our Ardennes marketing campaign.”
