Big Limerick success in 2020 helps propel Ben Healy to stunning Tour de France display

A MEMORABLE few days competing in West Limerick in 2020 helped propel Irish cyclist Ben Healy to his Yellow Jersey wearing exploits at the Tour de France.

Irishman Ben Healy rode himself into the yellow jersey on Monday with an outstanding display of grit and power as Simon Yates won stage 10 of the Tour de France from a breakaway on the Puy de Sancy.

Healy is just the fourth Irish cyclist to wear the famous Yellow Jersey as he leads the Tour de France after 10 stages of this year's race.

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A monster Bastille Day stage through the Massif Central delivered the fireworks as Healy put in a huge shift in the break to maintain a sizeable gap over the chasing peloton, fighting his way to third on the stage and then counting the seconds until Tadej Pogacar finished.

Pogacar put in a late dig as he traded blows with rival Jonas Vingegaard, but when the world champion came in four minutes 51 seconds behind Yates, 4:20 behind Healy, the yellow jersey swapped shoulders with Healy 29 seconds better off going into Tuesday’s rest day.

Stephen Roche was the last Irishman to lead the Tour de France, when he won the race in 1987. Sean Kelly (1983) and Shay Elliott (1963) are the only other Irish riders to ever lead the race.

Healy, then just 20 years of age, showed his qualities as an elite cyclist in October 2020 when storming to a dominant victory at the Senior Men’s National Championships in Limerick.

Healy, took charge of the race from almost the first pedal stroke breaking loose from a pack of the country’s best riders to lead from the front for the duration of the 155km course.

He set off in a two man break on the first lap, with Darnell Moore, setting a blistering pace over the course and establishing an ever-increasing lead over the pursuing peloton.

The difficult chase saw multiple pursuing groups form and then break apart as the early pace demolished many riders’ early efforts.

As the finish neared Healy put further pressure on the climb to Knockaderry, dropping his breakaway companion.

It was then time for Nicholas Roche (Team Sunweb) to attempt a last gasp effort to bridge across, roaring through the start finish straight on the penultimate lap.

Fresh from his Under 23 victory in the earlier Time Trial, Healy rode a faultless race in blazing sunshine, over the rolling terrain of Knockaderry.

Speaking in the wake of his Limerick successes, Healy said: “This is what every rider wants. Everyone wants to wear the Irish Champion jersey for the year and to get the elite one as an Under 23 is very special.”

In 2019, Healy became the youngest ever winner of a stage at the Tour de l'Avenir, and in 2021 won a stage of the 'Baby Giro'.