Healy's Flèche Wallonne | "I wasn't expecting that, if I'm completely honest"

Ben Healy is enjoying a very strong Ardennes week, with his decision to have a lighter schedule at the start of the year really paying off now (Photo: Marco Alpozzi)

Ben Healy promised so much in his first Ardennes week two years ago, proving the breakthrough man of the races, before a much more disappointing showing 12 months ago.

However, he is clearly back with a bang this year, taking 5th place at La Flèche Wallonne (1.UWT) in Belgium today to add to his 10th at Amstel Gold Race in the Netherlands on Sunday.

Based on his current form - and his very content mood with his results and his condition - there is plenty to look forward to at Liège-Bastogne-Liège (1.UWT) on Sunday, when he takes on the race that arguably suits him best.

"I wasn't really expecting that, if I'm completely honest," he said of taking 5th place today after a fantastic ride, where he controlled his effort superbly up Mur de Huy to the finish. "The Mur isn't my cup of tea, I guess, so 5th place? I'm pretty happy with that."

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Healy explained he had gone to the front of the lead group at the bottom of the brutally steep climb to be sure he could take the ascent at his own pace; distributing his effort as he saw fit, rather than being dictated to by others.

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"I'm not the most explosive so if I just make it as long as possible, that's the better effort for me," he said of deciding to go long and steady rather than trying to follow the surges of the others, especially winner Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), who pulled everyone's legs off.

"I just held that tempo all the way to the top. Tadej went, and I don't think anyone was anywhere close to following him."

Healy's ride today follows on from a very impressive Amstel Gold, where his final position did not reflect his true place in the race, having attacked heavily in the final only to be pursued by the others in the chasing group.

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