Winning a stage on the Tour de France was a "dream come true" for Ben Healy, who also reflected on the attention he received when he got to wear the famous Yellow Jersey.
This year's Tour was the second of the EF Education-EasyPost rider's career. The English-born 24-year-old, who qualified to race for Ireland through his paternal grandparents, became just the fourth Irish cyclist to wear the Yellow Jersey, following a storming third-place Bastille Day performance.
This came in the wake of his victory on stage six - his maiden stage triumph at the Tour de France.
Healy was placed ninth when the Tour concluded in Paris on Sunday last. To cap things off, he also won the Super Combativity award for his performances during the three-week event.
Ahead of the final stage, the Healey emerged victorious in the shortlist of eight riders decided by a combination of a public vote and the race jury.
Jonas Abrahamsen of the Uno-X Mobility came out on top in the public vote via social media but the expert jury ultimately swung it in Healy's favour.
The award came with a €20,000 prize and a place on the podium in Paris. He is the second Irishman to earn the award after Dan Martin in 2018.
Speaking to Des Cahill on RTÉ Radio's Saturday Sport, Healy reflected on his Tour experience, when saying: "I'm taking the time to appreciate what I've done. It was a dream come true to win a stage, that was the main goal, to keep your focus and get the Yellow. I don't think I could have asked for a better Tour."
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And as for getting to wear the famed yellow jersey, he added: "So few guys in their career get to think about wearing the yellow jersey. When the opportunity presented itself I took it with both hands. In France so many people recognize you for it."
Healy's attention is now turning to September's World Championships in Rwanda and the prospect of waring another iconic jersey.
"It would be a dream to wear that [rainbow] jersey; it's another iconic one in cycling. I will definite be chasing that for a few years.
"I need a few hills; the championships is always a hard day out, but the one-day racing does suit me. It's Rwanda this year, then Montreal and France after that. All pretty good course for me."
