Ben Healy out of Ardennes Classics with injury

EF Education-EasyPost's plans for the Ardennes Classics took a big hit Friday with news that star rider Ben Healy will miss the trio of races due to a small sacral fracture suffered at the Itzulia Basque Country stage race last week that went undiagnosed until recently. Healy crashed in recon of the opening time trial and the pain was manageable through the rest of the race but flared up afterward, which led team medical staff to investigate. "It's gutting. I've just got to roll with the punches," Healy said in a team announcement. "I'm trying not to think about it too much, but it's going to suck to watch the Ardennes and not be part of it." Healy was fifth at last year's Fleche Wallonne and third at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. After last year's breakout Tour de France performance where he won a stage and wore the yellow jersey for two days, he had said an Ardennes win was one of his top goals. That will have to wait another season, unfortunately as team doctors said he will be out of action for 3-4 weeks.