Ben Healy has enjoyed an incredible season, including taking bronze in the road race at the Worlds, and though recovering from that effort has proved challenging, he believes he is on the right track for Il Lombardia tomorrow, Saturday.
The only race he has ridden since the Worlds two weeks in Rwanda was Tre Valli Varesine (1.Pro) in Italy on Wednesday. And though he did not figure strongly in the final - the race won by Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) - Healy was only one minute down, in 34th.
He also worked hard for his EF Education-EasyPost team in that race and believes those efforts will really stand to him tomorrow, when the riders face 241km, with 4,600m of elevation gain, on the road to Bergamo.
"I am feeling pretty good," Healy confirmed ahead of the final monument of the year, with fellow Irishman Archie Ryan also set to take to the start line and Eddie Dunbar competing for Team Jayco AlUla.
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"It was a hard recovery after the worlds, but racing Tre Valli opened up the legs a bit. I’ll be good to go on Saturday. It’s a beautiful race and a big one to finish the season, here in northern Italy in the falling leaves.
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"We have a super strong team. I think we’ve got some good riders for this race. It is definitely going to be a battle of attrition to the end. We’ve got a good team for that. It’ll just be hard bike racing.
"The way races go now, it’s just about seeing who can last until the end. That is what we’re going to try and do on Saturday."
Healy is effectively part of a three-pronged challenge tomorrow, with Richard Carapaz and Neilson Powless also protected riders for the day.
"It was a very long season for me after all the setbacks after the Giro, but I think I can attack Lombardia with a very good attitude. I am excited to do it," said Carapaz.
"It is a very special race, a classic with a lot of history. Being here is already special. I am feeling good and hoping to leave it all out there on Saturday. I want to be as far up the standings as possible.
"I have the legs for it and I will try. We have options, but it will all come down to a natural selection. You have to be there with the team and then the race will decide."
