'A rider like Ben has a really good chance' - Ireland’s elite men’s road race pinning hopes on Ben Healy at World Championships

To judge by the events of last year’s World Championships elite men’s road race, the demanding and exceptionally hilly nature of the Rwanda circuit should suit defending champion Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) down to the ground.

But other squads with riders given to long-distance moves are also looking forward to taking their chance, and if Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel (Soudal–Quick-Step) is one such obvious candidate, Ireland are quietly certain they have their own cards to play, too.

"Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) is one of the best one-day racers in the world at targeting one day races and performing in them,” Ireland’s Eddie Dunbar (Team Jayco–AlUla), also in Ireland’s line-up for Kigali, told Cyclingnews during the recent Vuelta a España, “He can go from distance and he's proved that on numerous occasions.”

"I’ve no idea what Ben's plan is for the Worlds, but I’m sure he'll have the mindset that he's going into it wanting to be World Champion."

Seventh in the Worlds in Zurich last year - where Dunbar also took part, finishing 67th - Healy most recently showed his talent for nosing out big moves with a stunning victory in the first week of the 2025 Tour de France. But his breakaway talents have also netted the Irishman solo stage victories in the 2023 Giro d’Italia and 2025 Itzulia Basque Country - in the latter, his 124-kilometre solo being the longest in the race’s 101-year history.

"It’s pretty clear," Dunbar added. "Healy definitely is somebody who could medal, and so you go out there and try and support him.

"We have the riders to do that, Archie Ryan (EF Education-EasyPost) been flying here [in the Vuelta] and he’s a very good one-day racer, too. So we’ve got plenty of options, and hopefully I’ll manage to come out of this race and have good legs too. We’ll have a very solid team there."

Taking on Tadej Pogačar

While the global strategy for Ireland is, as Dunbar says, "to have numbers in the final,” a lot of the way the road race plays out will depend on how the world’s very top expert in long-distance breakaways is racing, too. But having to use Pogačar as the reference point on September 27, as Dunbar says, is not different from any other race where he takes part.

"Everyone knows it’s Slovenia's responsibility to control the race. But at the end of day, all you can do is try and hold on when he [Pogačar] goes.

"If you can, you're obviously on a really good day, and if you can’t, that’s just the way it is.

"He's the best bike rider there's been. So you have to just roll the dice, race your best race, and worry about that, and if you can race against him, then it's fair play.

In terms of the practicalities of getting to Rwanda and the logistics involved, the first-ever World Championships in Africa was fairly straightforward for Dunbar, meaning he can focus fully on the racing.

"There is a bit more to it than if you’re going to somewhere like Switzerland, there’s more paperwork. But I’m updated on my vaccines, from when I was young, so I’m all right there. I hear some of the guys need one or two jabs to make sure they're ok. But if you want to race that's how it is."

"I got a direct flight to Kigali, too, and I think it’s the same time zone, which is definitely not so bad, even if it’s a long flight."

"The altitude won’t be so bad, either, it’s about 1,500 metres so nothing too crazy. I’m going in late, and sometimes that works when you go to a race at altitude, so hopefully that's the right strategy."

When it comes to the race itself, obviously racing for a top challenger like Healy makes it more attractive, but Dunbar says the Worlds itself is always an attractive event to do.

"I do look forward to it," Dunbar, riding his fourth senior Worlds elite road race, says. "You’re wearing an Irish jersey, which is nice, it’s a different country, as well, which is interesting."

"The great thing though above all is it’s a completely different kind of race. You’re racing against teammates you ride with 60 days of the year, which makes it interesting. And everybody knows the World Championships has an iconic jersey, so whatever happens, it always feels special to do."