After spending the day in the breakaway, Ben Healy launched a solo attack in a bid for glory on the Tour de France stage 14 in the Pyrenees on Saturday. The Irishman hit the bottom of the final climb, the Pla d’Adet (10.6km at 7.9%), and was awarded most combative rider for his solo attack with just over a minute to the yellow-jersey group that was on a mission to get the time bonus seconds at the finish line.
But Healy was caught by yellow jersey Tadej Pogačar and his UAE teammate Adam Yates, and the hope for a stage victory had to be postponed to another day.
As expected on such a difficult stage, the fight to get into the breakaway started from the flag drop on the 152km stage with EF Education-Easypost in the mix, launching multiple attempts to force a separation.
Healy and his teammates Sean Quinn and Rui Costa jumped into a big chase group, looking to connect to the breakaway as the Col du Tourmalet loomed. By the time the 19 km-long climb was done, ten riders were off the front, including Healy and US Champion Quinn. Working for his teammate, Quinn did huge pulls at the front, but behind, the UAE-led peloton was bringing the gap down.
With 35km to go, an attack by David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) caused Quinn to drop off the pace, leaving Healy and four other riders off the front. As the quintet made the right turn onto the 10.6km climb to Pla d’Adet, the gap was hovering over the minute mark. Healy was able to crack his breakmates, and still had a one-minute lead with 8km to go on the hors category climb, but he was soon caught and passed by Yates and Pogačar.
“With the gap we had, it was always going to be ambitious. I just knew I had to go full gas from the bottom, which is what I did. I held in there for a little bit but it wasn’t meant to be today,” Healy said.
“I don’t know if disappointment is the right word, it’s just bike racing at the end of the day. I gave everything to be in the break and I was in the break with good legs but I was Tadej and I had legs like him, then I think I’d race the same way. There’s not a lot you can do about it.
“We took our best shot. That’s what we have to do, take the opportunities when we get them. My teammates did a great job today for me. They took me into the break.”
Once caught, Healy sat up and enjoyed the cheers of the crowds before crossing the finish line in 16th place, 3:27 from stage winner Pogačar. He was awarded the most combative rider prize for the day.
“I think the crowd was something special, it’s almost deafening going up this climb and have people scream your name, it’s for sure really special.”
Healy went on the attack numerous times during the Tour so far, and he took fifth on stage 9 when the break made it to the line. He’s not done.
“I just have to take the good legs forward hopefully and I’m sure there will be some more opportunities.”
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