Ben Healy on the attack, grabs vital seconds, in Slovenia | Video

Dylan Groenewegen, centre, wins the opening stage but only after Ben Healy gained some vital ground in the general classification (Photo: Sportida)

Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) has begun the Tour of Slovenia on a very positive note by going on the attack in the final of stage 1 and gaining some vital seconds for the general classification battle.

While Healy and his breakaway companion, fellow general classification dangerman Jhonatan Narváez (Ineos Grenadiers) were caught a couple of kilometres from the line, they went clear at the intermediate sprint point with 7km to go after taking the bonus seconds on offer.

Once they had gained a gap by going for the sprint, the duo pressed on; riding very hard in a bid to stay ahead of the bunch which ramped up the pace in a bid to bring them back.

And once the catch was made about 2km from the line, that paved the way for a bunch sprint. It was won by Dylan Groenewegen (Team Jayco AlUla) from Alexander Kristoff (Uno-X Mobility) and Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorious).

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Archie Ryan and his EF Education-EasyPost team mate Healy were in the bunch, on the same time as the winner; Healy finishing in 31st and Ryan in 34th. Though the sprinters took time bonuses at the finish, they will not figure in the general classification as the queen stage on Saturday involves a summit finish.

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And that means, from a GC perspective, Healy and Narváez were the men who gained today as they took two and three seconds at the late intermediate sprint. That two-second time gain puts Healy 5th overall, some eight seconds off the race lead.

On tomorrow’s stage 2 the riders face the cat 2 Celjska Koča – 7.6 kilometers, averaging 6.3 per cent. Though it is crested before the halfway point, the final is rolly.

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