Ben Healy ‘super proud’ to represent Ireland in yellow jersey of Tour de France

Congratulations have been paid to Irishman Ben Healy who has become the first Irish cyclist to take the yellow jersey of the Tour de France since 1987.

The 24-year-old, born and raised near Birmingham, said he was “super proud” to represent Ireland after he clinched the lead of the prestigious cycling race after the 10th stage, sporting the Irish tricolour on each sleeve.

Speaking after the stage on Monday, he said: “It’s a fairy tale. If you told me this before the Tour, I think I wouldn’t have believed you – it is incredible and beyond belief, really.”

Healy’s paternal grandparents, from Waterford and Cork, moved to England in the 1960s.

His father Bryan, who had an interest in cycling, first brought him to a local track when he was aged five.

Healy credits his father for tempering his interests in competitive racing when younger and keeping “the hunger there for me” until he was older.

He said as he got older he applied for an Irish passport and citizenship for family reasons.

Healy said: “I’m just super proud to represent Ireland and wear the yellow jersey for them and hopefully I think I can do it some justice.”

He added: “I’ve got to respect the jersey and I’m in quite a nice position now to just hold on to it as long as possible.”

Charlie McConalogue, Ireland’s Minister of State for Sport, said it was a “great day for Irish cycling”.

In a social media post, he said: “Ben Healy in the yellow jersey in the Tour de France! Just the 4th Irishman to achieve it, hot on the heels of winning stage 6 a few days ago he spearheaded a breakaway in today’s stage and is now in yellow on Bastille Day.”

Healy, who acknowledged he was following in “crazy footsteps”, joins just three other Irish riders who have worn the yellow jersey of the Tour de France.

Shay Elliott became the first Irish cyclist to wear the yellow jersey in 1963, having also been the first Irish rider to compete in the Tour de France and the first to win a stage.

Sean Kelly became the second Irish cyclist to wear the yellow jersey, exactly 20 years later in 1983.

Stephen Roche won the Tour de France in the yellow jersey in 1987.