TRENDING NEWS
Back to news
15 Jul, 2025
Share:
How Ben Healy - grandson of Irish immigrants - made sporting history at the Tour de France
@Source: thejournal.ie
Advertisement We need your help now Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open. You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough. If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it. One-off amount I already contribute Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you. An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more. Investigates Investigates Money Diaries Daft.ie Property Magazine Allianz Home Magazine The 42 Sports Magazine TG4 Entertainment Magazine The Journal TV Climate Crisis Cost of Living Road Safety Newsletters Temperature Check Inside the Newsroom The Journal Investigates The Explainer A deep dive into one big news story Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion Advertisement More Stories Ben Healy at the 2024 Paris Olympics.Ryan Byrne/INPHO How Ben Healy - grandson of Irish immigrants - made sporting history at the Tour de France On Tuesday Ben Healy became only the fourth Irish man to wear the coveted Tour de France yellow jersey. 5.48pm, 15 Jul 2025 Share options IN JUNE 2020 in the south Limerick hillside village of Knockaderry, a slight framed English accented Irish man smashed a field of the country’s best home and international cyclists to take the national title. Just days before, riding in the colours of the Andrew McQuaid managed development team Trinity Racing, he took the Time Trial title. For many in Irish cycling it was the first sign that there was a significant new talent on the scene. Nicolas Roche, the son of Dundrum’s former Tour de France winner Stephen, finished second to him. This reporter attempted to interview Roche afterwards who was visibly enraged at the defeat while, across the road, the 20-year-old rider, Ben Healy, was light and welcoming, speaking fluidly about his delight to be Irish champ. He had previously won the Time Trial title at junior level but his win at senior was a masterclass in the style of racing he is now famous for – a swashbuckling tactic of aggressive attacks from the pack. It may have been shock news of this new talent for some in Ireland but on the continent Healy was already on his way to stardom. The Tour de l’Avenir, translated as Tour of the Future, is the world’s premier contest for young riders – it is a mini Tour De France raced at under 23 level and some of the legends of cycling first proved their worth there. Healy did just that in 2018, taking the Queen Stage, or hardest stage of the race – it brought him to the attention of the cycling scouts – this was a talent to keep an eye on. He has returned to Ireland to compete in the annual return of professionals from abroad for the National Championships and performed well in all outings – winning it a second time in 2023. He has not just the aggressive exciting style of the road but also in the race of truth or Time Trial discipline – it makes him perfect for long range attacks. Ben Healy leads Darnel Moore at Knockaderry in 2020 en route to his first senior National Road Title.Niall O'Connor / The Journal.ie Niall O'Connor / The Journal.ie / The Journal.ie The Irish connection He has a soft British midlands accent but he is the latest in a small but impressive group of Irish racing cyclists brought up in Britain that have sided with the country from which their relatives emigrated. There are others who took the same nationality option, most notably two time Tour de France stage winner Dan Martin, and national champions Conor Dunne and Matt Brammeier. Some did so out of patriotic interest, others for pragmatic cycling career opportunities because it opens the door to competitions – fewer riders to compete with for places. Either way Ben Healy declared for Ireland in 2016 as a teenager using the fact that his grandparents were Irish. Healy’s connections to Ireland are on his father’s side. Bryan Healy was born in England to parents from Waterford and Cork. They moved as economic migrants to London in the 1960s in search of work. Ben was born in 2000 and grew up in Wordsley near Birmingham where his racing cyclist father introduced him to the sport. Advertisement According to an interview with Velo magazine in 2023 he caught the bug at a local track where he spent Sunday morning sessions with his pals. In the same interview he explained that while at the beginning it was about the pragmatic nature of gaining an advantage he now delights in the Irish connection. “I am super proud to represent that side of me,” he told Velo. “My identity with Ireland has really grown. For sure I was a bit of an outsider within the cycling community in Ireland at first, but after a while, I started to make a few friends. “There is still occasionally a bit of a backlash, I guess, but I really do feel welcomed and accepted, which is super nice. Now some of my really good friends within the sport are Irish. We’ve got a bit of a routine of going to Belfast post-season and then getting together, which is great,” he added. Ben Healy wears the coveted Tour de France yellow jersey on the podium yesterday.Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo The wins kept coming after he was the youngest rider, at just 18-years-old, to win a stage in the talent spotting Tour de l’Avenir. Since then it has been a steady escalating evolution of success with wins across the season under the tutelage of Trinity Racing. He then signed in 2022 for the EF procycling set up which is now EF Education Easy Post. It was set up by anti-doping campaigner and ex cyclist Jonathan Vaughters in the wake of the Lance Armstrong scandal. This is the team where he has remained since taking major wins at the Giro d’Italia, the three week stage race that is the Italian equivalent of the Tour de France. Last year at the Olympics he led the road race across the streets of Paris for much of the spectacle in a daring and tenacious effort but his hopes were dashed and Belgian Remco Evanepoel overtook him as he tired. He has also finished on the podium of early season classics, or monuments as they are known, and is fast growing a reputation as one of the world’s great puncheurs and baroudeur – cycling terms for a rider who excels over short sharp climbs on daring attacks from the peloton. It was over that very terrain and using those tactics that saw him take the Tour de France stage across the rolling and steep hills of Normandy last Thursday. “Le Tour” is a three week event raced over multiple days in which there is a stage winner each day and an overall winner who has the least amount of time across the course. Yesterday, on a route across the French Massif Central Healy achieved a feat not seen since Stephen Roche in 1987 – he became only the fourth Irish man to take the coveted Yellow Jersey of race leader. He will likely wear it until the coming mountain stages when the big General Classification guns of Tadej Pogacar, Remco Evanepoel and Jonas Vingegaard leave the phony war of the first week behind and begin the Alpine battles for the title. Healy will likely revert back to his swashbuckling antics and join the daily lonely breakaway hunts for another stage win. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Support The Journal Niall O'Connor View 3 comments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “How Ben Healy - grandson of Irish immigrants - made sporting history at the Tour de France”. Recipient's Email Feedback on “How Ben Healy - grandson of Irish immigrants - made sporting history at the Tour de France”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. Please give full details of the problem with the comment... This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy before taking part. Leave a Comment Submit a report Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines. Damaging the good reputation of someone, slander, or libel. Racism or Hate speech An attack on an individual or group based on religion, race, gender, or beliefs. Trolling or Off-topic An attempt to derail the discussion. Inappropriate language Profanity, obscenity, vulgarity, or slurs. Advertising, phishing, scamming, bots, or repetitive posts. Please provide additional information Thank you for the feedback Your feedback has been sent to our team for review. Leave a commentcancel Newly created accounts can only comment using The Journal app. This is to add an extra layer of security to account creation. Download and sign into the app to continue. Access to the comments facility has been disabled for this user View our policy ⚠️ Duplicate comment Post Comment have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion Tour de France Yellow and Green Yellow Jersey News in 60 seconds On Your Mark Mairead McGuinness first to enter Áras race as she's confirmed as Fine Gael's candidate Derek Blighe's appeal against public order conviction allowed after paying €500 to Irish Red Cross 12 mins ago Ex-footballer Joey Barton to pay £203k of Jeremy Vine's legal costs after libel case 44 mins ago Dubliner (70) and his sons to cycle 2,100km across Europe to support Down Syndrome charity 45 mins ago trade agreement 'Political cowardice': EU foreign ministers refuse to suspend trade agreement with Israel 56 mins ago US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Case of Irish tourist detained in US after outstaying visa by three days 'disgraceful' What's behind the online 'nude pics' row between Azealia Banks and Conor McGregor? goodbye summer Status Yellow thunderstorm warnings to come into effect in Clare, Kerry, Limerick and Galway 'This is just a fairytale': Ireland's brilliant Ben Healy takes yellow jersey at Tour de France Court of Appeal Mother should never have been convicted of sexually assaulting her children, court rules EU says it could target €72 billion worth of US goods if tariff talks with Washington fail more from us Investigates Daft.ie Property Magazine Allianz Home Magazine The 42 Sports Magazine TG4 Entertainment Magazine Money Diaries The Journal TV Journal Media Advertise With Us About FactCheck Our Network FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition more from us TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Journal Media Advertise With Us Our Network The Journal FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition © 2025 Journal Media Ltd Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition Switch to Desktop Switch to Mobile The Journal supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at https://www.presscouncil.ie, PH: (01) 6489130, Lo-Call 1800 208 080 or email: mailto:info@presscouncil.ie Report an error, omission or problem: Your Email (optional) Create Email Alert Create an email alert based on the current article Email Address One email every morning As soon as new articles come online
For advertisement: 510-931-9107
Copyright © 2025 Usfijitimes. All Rights Reserved.