Cycling round-up: Ben Healy second in Spain as Conor Murphy takes European Youth Olympics silver

Ben Healy has clocked up another fine result in what has been a breakthrough season, taking second in the Prueba Villafranca-Ordiziako Klasika race in the Basque Country in Spain on Tuesday.

The EF Education EasyPost rider took second in a sprint against the Swiss Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates). The duo had been in the thick of the action in the final kilometres of the race, both in close pursuit behind Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) and Oier Lazkano (Movistar) after they went over the top of the last climb slightly ahead.

Ayuso and Lazkano each crashed out on separate turns on the descent, with Healy and Hirschi managing to stay upright and then fight it out for the win.

Healy’s superb season has seen him take first and second on stages of the Giro d’Italia, as well several other strong results. He will be part of the Irish team at the upcoming world championships in Glasgow in August.

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Meanwhile, Conor Murphy raced to an excellent silver medal in the boy’s time-trial at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Maribor, Slovenia on Tuesday. His time of 12:55.38 was 2.49 seconds behind the Dutchman Gijs Schoonvelde, with other Irish riders David Gaffney 18th and Philip O’Connor 45th.

“It feels amazing. I can’t really believe it, to be honest. I’m pretty proud of myself. The course was on a runway. It was two and a half K up and down each way, four lengths of the runway. It was just pan flat and go as hard as you could.”

Murphy is coached by Bryan McCrystal, former Irish national champion. McCrystal lent him a bike for the race, and things turned out better than anticipated.

“I really wasn’t expecting that. I was just hoping top 25ish. I just came over the line and couldn’t believe what the man with the mic was saying, to be honest.”

Murphy said that he knew he was catching the rider who set off ahead of him, which was a sign that he was going well. His silver medal matches that of Lara Gillespie in 2017, the only other Irish cyclist to take a medal at the competition. She has since gone on to other very impressive performances, including two gold medals in the recent under-23 European track championships.

Kate Murphy and Greta Lawless competed in the girls competition, finishing 27th and 40th respectively. Aliyah Rafferty had also been scheduled to race but a crash in the recent round six of the National Road Series saw her ruled out due to cycling’s concussion protocol.

She will, however, be able to compete in the road-race, which is on Thursday. Conor Murphy and Greta Lawless will contest the mountain bike races on Wednesday.