Remco Evenepoel (Belgium) received the gold medal within the males’s highway race on the Paris Olympic Video games however Eire’s Ben Healy deserved the unofficial ‘most aggressive rider’ prize for his daring, all-out assault with 95km to go.
Healy is a breakaway knowledgeable. In his aero helmet and pores and skin go well with to profit from each attainable acquire, he bought away with Alexey Lutsenko of Kazakhstan, they usually powered throughout to the early break. Then Healy stored on going and went clear alone.
Evenepoel and France’s Valentin Madouas finally joined him and dropped him excessive of the Montmartre climb, ending Healy’s hopes of a medal. He dug deep to complete within the group of 9 riders who fought for the bronze medal, however had little left.
He completed a proud tenth, 1:20 down on Evenepoel.
“I performed my playing cards one of the best ways I understand how,” Healy mentioned within the media combined zone after the race.
“Possibly if I’d had a tiny bit extra within the tank right now then I may have been within the shout for a medal however I am tremendous pleased with that efficiency. A high 10 is a consequence.
“I feel I put myself in the perfect place and did what I do know fits me finest. There have been simply stronger guys right now, sadly.”
Race radios should not allowed within the Olympic highway race and so Healy was racing nearly blind. He didn’t care an excessive amount of and simply pressed on.
“It was form of unusual racing at nighttime like that. It creates a couple of extra query marks throughout the race however you simply need to race with that in thoughts and be tremendous proactive,” he defined.
“After I attacked and Ryan was forward, I used to be simply praying that he bought a message.
“After I was away, I bought a time hole each once in a while, however I did not actually know who was behind or what the gaps had been. I simply needed to do my very own race and do what I assumed was proper on the time.”
Eire solely had two riders within the 90-rider subject however performed their card as finest they may. Ryan Mullen joined a counter-attack that reached the entrance of the race with 120km to go. When Healy got here throughout, Ryan gave his all to assist the transfer keep clear.
“We positively mentioned it, however you realize, it does not at all times work out that means,” Healy defined.
“We did not simply need him to be sat out entrance for 200 kilometres earlier than that. When the chance got here and he was in a position to get in a gaggle fairly simply, and so it was a no brainer. He did an enormous time out entrance and actually helped me.”
Healy has already raced for 52 days in 2024 and after using aggressively on the Tour de France, he’s prepared for a break.
“I have never actually considered my subsequent objectives an excessive amount of, for certain, I am not going to journey the Vuelta,” he mentioned. “I might wish to attempt to do World Championships, however first some relaxation.”
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