Healy pulled off a heroic ride in Normandy
After becoming just the seventh Irishman to win a Tour de France stage, Ben Healy reacted by dropping an F-bomb following a brutal ride in Normandy.
The 24-year-old, who was born in England but pledged his allegiance to Ireland as a teenager, is the first Irish winner of a Tour de France stage since Sam Bennett in 2020.
And after a brutal final climb, he said: “That hill made me f***ing work for it,” as he slumped over his handlebars in celebration.
He added: “It’s unbelievable, it’s what I’ve worked all for, not just this year, the whole time, it’s incredible, hours and hours of hard work from so many people, so to pay it back is amazing.
“I grew up watching the Tour and one day wishing I could be there, to even be here is an achievement, so to win is amazing.”
Healy pulled off his best-ever ride, winning by 2 minutes and 44 seconds, and joins just a handful of Irishmen to win a Tour de France stage, after Sam Bennett, Shay Elliott, Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche, Martin Earley and Dan Martin.
Healy’s only other victory on a Grand Tour came in the 2023 Giro d’Italia, winning stage 8.
Eddie Dunbar came in fourth on what was a proud day for Irish cycling in Normandy.
He sits eighth in the General Classification after six stages, 2 minutes and one second behind Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel.
