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From Stourbridge school boy to Tour De France race leader
From Stourbridge school boy to Tour De France race leader

BBC News

time4 days ago

  • Sport
  • BBC News

From Stourbridge school boy to Tour De France race leader

In 2011, a 12-year-old boy was looping around an outdoor velodrome in the Midlands, and now he will wear the yellow jersey that distinguishes him as race leader of The Tour De Ben Healy was a regular at the Halesowen track with his dad, Bryan. "Back then it was never about becoming a professional, it was the simple enjoyment of riding bikes, track, road and mountain," said the beaming there he moved to Solihull Cycling Club to race on roads, and that is when his journey to being the first rider to represent Ireland - due to his connection to his late grandmother - and claim the yellow jersey for 38 years began. Bryan said his son has developed a more soulful connection to his grandmother's home nation."I wish my mum was still here to see it because she'd have been so proud, it's really opened up his sense of his Irishness," he said. In 2022, Healy signed with US-based cycling team EF Education Easy Post, which secured him a place in the World Tour now the 24-year old has been carving out a specialist niche as a breakaway artist ever since. Not possessed with the power of a sprinter or the aerobic capacity of a climber, at 5ft 7in (170cm), he discovered that if he was strategic about his choice of races and stages it could net him stage wins in the sports three biggest Grand Tours. In the 2023, at Giro d'Italia he came from 60km (37 miles) out and on Thursday, in his Tour De France debut he surprised all his rivals with 43km (27 miles) to was not because of when he attacked but where as Healy used a slightly downhill fast approach, unlike the mid-climb attacks he had previously used as a launch recalled how 10 days previously in Boulogne, his son had earmarked the Bastille Day stage for an attack, but as with most things in the fast moving tour, events and plans said: "Everyone knows how Ben rides, he targeted several stages, of which Monday's was one, but after winning last Thursday's stage I didn't think it was likely he'd get away or be allowed to breakaway."Discussing his son's success from a local pub in Wordsley, just outside Stourbridge, Bryan said: "He was still a bit numb, but beaming."Bryan has now started his journey to Toulouse to see his son on the evening of the rest day to savour his success, before a string of days in the Pyrenees followed by the Mount Ventoux stage next Tuesday. Asked if the 'golden fleece' would rest heavy on his young son's shoulders, Bryan said: "He'll get through tomorrow, hopefully, he'll try his best and the Hautacam on Thursday will be tricky."But, how many times has he surprised everyone just in this last week?" he added. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.

Ben Healy ‘super proud' to represent Ireland in yellow jersey of Tour de France
Ben Healy ‘super proud' to represent Ireland in yellow jersey of Tour de France

BreakingNews.ie

time5 days ago

  • Sport
  • BreakingNews.ie

Ben Healy ‘super proud' to represent Ireland in yellow jersey of Tour de France

Congratulations have been paid to Irishman Ben Healy who has become the first Irish cyclist to take the yellow jersey of the Tour de France since 1987. The 24-year-old, born and raised near Birmingham, said he was 'super proud' to represent Ireland after he clinched the lead of the prestigious cycling race after the 10th stage, sporting the Irish tricolour on each sleeve. Advertisement Speaking after the stage on Monday, he said: 'It's a fairy tale. If you told me this before the Tour, I think I wouldn't have believed you – it is incredible and beyond belief, really.' Healy's paternal grandparents, from Waterford and Cork, moved to England in the 1960s. His father Bryan, who had an interest in cycling, first brought him to a local track when he was aged five. 🎙 🇮🇪 Ben Healy : « C'est un conte de fées. Si vous m'aviez dit cela avant @LeTour , je pense que je ne vous aurais pas cru. Je dois respecter le Maillot et je suis dans une bonne position maintenant pour le garder le plus longtemps possible. » 💛 💛 L'interview du nouveau… — Maillot Jaune LCL (@MaillotjauneLCL) July 14, 2025 Healy credits his father for tempering his interests in competitive racing when younger and keeping 'the hunger there for me' until he was older. Advertisement He said as he got older he applied for an Irish passport and citizenship for family reasons. Healy said: 'I'm just super proud to represent Ireland and wear the yellow jersey for them and hopefully I think I can do it some justice.' He added: 'I've got to respect the jersey and I'm in quite a nice position now to just hold on to it as long as possible.' Charlie McConalogue, Ireland's Minister of State for Sport, said it was a 'great day for Irish cycling'. Advertisement In a social media post, he said: 'Ben Healy in the yellow jersey in the Tour de France! Just the 4th Irishman to achieve it, hot on the heels of winning stage 6 a few days ago he spearheaded a breakaway in today's stage and is now in yellow on Bastille Day.' Ben Healy in the yellow jersey in the Tour de France! Just the 4th Irishman to achieve it, hot on the heels of winning stage 6 a few days ago he spearheaded a breakaway in today's stage and is now in yellow on Bastille Day. A great day for Irish cycling. — Charlie McConalogue (@McConalogue) July 14, 2025 Healy, who acknowledged he was following in 'crazy footsteps', joins just three other Irish riders who have worn the yellow jersey of the Tour de France. Shay Elliott became the first Irish cyclist to wear the yellow jersey in 1963, having also been the first Irish rider to compete in the Tour de France and the first to win a stage. Sean Kelly became the second Irish cyclist to wear the yellow jersey, exactly 20 years later in 1983. Advertisement Stephen Roche won the Tour de France in the yellow jersey in 1987.

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