Ben Healy stuns with 'insane' Giro d’Italia win

The 22-year-old’s stunning solo victory on the stage to Fossombrone ranks among the greatest ever by a West Midlands cyclist and continued a remarkable year for Healy, who announced himself as an emerging star with a series of high placings at the Spring Classics.

Saturday’s achievement surpassed all that, with the former Halesowen Cycling Club star riding the final 30 miles of the 128-miles stage on his own after breaking away from the leading group.

His winning margin of one minute, 49 seconds was the biggest on a stage of the Giro, the second largest of cycling’s Grand Tours behind the Tour de France, since 2018.

Healy said: “I back myself in a long move. I didn’t want to take any chances so I went solo, I knew I had good legs and I managed to hold it to the finish.

“The last couple of months have been a whirlwind and to top it off with this is insane.

“I am super proud and happy. I need to enjoy these past couple of months and let it sink in. It means I can turn up to races in the future with an expectancy to do well.”

This year’s Giro is Healy’s first taste of a Grand Tour in his second year as a senior professional with the EF Education Easypost team.

The former Summerhill School student, who rides for Ireland after qualifying through his grandparents, did not rule out hunting further stage wins in the race’s remaining fortnight.

He continued: “I was pretty eager to get in the break and was just following the moves to start with.

“Eventually we got away. The first climb, the last little bit I just wanted to test the legs a bit, test everyone else and yeah, I ended up going solo.

“I knew I could time trial to the finish pretty well and I just paced myself all the way. I really soaked in the victory.

“I had to back off a bit after Liege-Bastogne-Liege last month and I wasn’t sure about my form heading into the Giro. I’m still not sure I am at my best.”