Ireland's Ben Healy has signed a new contract with EF Education-EasyPost, which will see him remain at the team for at least the next four years. That deal, to the end of 2029, is one of the longest in the sport and comes as no surprise.
Speaking to stickybottle late last year, when asked if he would stay of move on when his contract was due to expire at the end of 2026, he listed a whole series of reasons why he might like to stay.
“I think, at the moment, EF is a great team for me, there’s certainly a lot of trust there and they’re putting a lot of investment into me,” he said. “I really get the best out of EF and I don’t see a reason to break something that’s working well.
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“There’s always a risk moving team. And I’m still motivated, and I’ve got the support of everyone around me… there’s some really, really great people around me. So at the moment everything is working.”
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His coach, Jacob Tipper’s, move into the team also seemed like a move to put everything in place to keep Healy - a Tour de France stage winner and yellow jersey last year - on the roster and keep him there long-term.
“He was at the most recent training camp,” Healy confirmed of Tipper. “He’s coaching some other guys and he’s really integrated into the staff now and it’s all working smoothly.”
Speaking on Wednesday when announcing Healy's new deal, team boss Jonathan Vaughters said the Irishman, who joined as a neo pro in 2021, had been a huge addition and he was delighted Healy had committed his future to the squad.
“He is thoughtful and always seeking to improve," Vaughters said. "Most importantly, he is always willing to risk. Our team has and always will be built on the outsider willing to take a chance. Ben is that.”
More to come.
