Ben Healy fights the savage gradient into Sienna in 2024, and now the Irish rider is one of the big names going to the line at Strade Bianche for the 2026 edition (Photo: Photo: Ilario Biondi)
Ben Healy first rode Strade Bianche in 2022 and since that he's been 12th, and then 4th last year. Saturday's race is the first big test of his season. And the Irish EF Education-EasyPost rider says he will be mostly focussed on Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG).
"Racing Strade Bianche is special. It's definitely an iconic race now, isn't it? Even during the recon today, the fans were out, the cameras were out. It’s cool, for sure," Healy said.
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"With this longer parcours that we've had for the past couple of years, it's just an absolute slog. You’ve got to try and follow Tadej when he goes on Santa Maria, and from there, just hold on. It is such a battle of attrition.
"You have to race quite conservatively and save enough to hit them in the finale. Strade is just becoming more and more iconic with more fans, more noise. It is a super cool thing to be a part of.
"Coming onto the piazza at the end, I don't think you're really feeling anything over the pain. It's just been an absolute slogfest and you’re chewing the handlebars.
"Maybe once you cross the finish line and you've caught your breath, you can really take in the spectacle that is the piazza with the fans and everything else. It has got to be one of my favorite races of the year."
