Tomorrow Sam Bennett rides his first monument since establishing himself as a sprinter who can beat the world's best. Could he be sprinting for victory?
By Brian Canty
Ireland’s Sam Bennett will realise a childhood dream tomorrow, Sunday, when he competes in the iconic Italian monument, Milan-San Remo.
The 24-year-old will spearhead his Bora-Argon 18 squad for the 298-kilometre epic against many of the best professional riders in the world.
Known as the sprinters’ classic, Milan-San Remo has gained a fearsome reputation for its gruelling nature.
But Bennett was taking it all in his stride when asked how he feels about facing up to the mammoth task.
“Obviously everyone wants to win the longest monument there is,” he said.
“It’s the first one of each year and for a sprinter; I don’t know why they call it the sprinters’ race because it’s so hard. But if you can win one, you’re a hard man.
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“I’d obviously love to win it but to compete for it will be a few more years down the line,” he suggested, downplaying his chances of being in the hunt.
“We rode the last 40 kilometres of the race yesterday and going down the Poggio gave me goose bumps, taking the corners quickly, that was awesome.
Up the road in a very elite breakaway at the recent Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne only to be recaptured and finish in the bunch (Photo and homepage photo by Martine Verfaillie)
“If I get to that point in the race on Sunday I’ll be buzzing. To be able to do that descent into the finish would be incredible.”
He’s already bagged some excellent results this season; a win in the Tour of Qatar was backed up by two top 10s in both the Tour of Oman and just last week, Tirreno-Adriatico.
The latter, he said, was mere training for what’s ahead this weekend and going as deep as he could was the objective.
He was third on the opening road stage and eighth on the final leg and in true Bennett fashion, was happy with neither.
“The first day in the sprint I didn’t get to open up (my sprint) until the last 100 metres and even then I wasn’t in the absolute best position,” he said.
“The last road stage I really messed up; I had really good legs and I was just way too far back.
"I should have put myself in a better place; I was kicking myself afterwards.
“All the stop sprinters – not saying Sagan and Ciolek aren’t top sprinters; but Cav didn’t make it over the climb and I did. And usually I’m well able for those other guys, so it was disappointing.
Bennett will do plenty of suffering in the years of development that remain before he knows how good he can really be.
“But it was a good week to get in the legs, I really had to suffer and hang on so it’ll probably stand to me further down the line.”
Suffering is something he did plenty of on the climb to Terminillo last Sunday, won by eventual winner Nairo Quintana (Movistar)
“I knew at the start there’d be snow and possibly rain at the finish so I wore more than I usually would; full leggings, rubber overshoes.
"My base layer had a wind stopper so when I got to the climb I didn’t mind the snow itself.
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“It was a bit annoying because you couldn’t get off the saddle for fear the wheel would spin.
“My only problem was the day before we did 225 kilometres and I was told by the directeur sportif to go as deep as I could as it’d be good training for this weekend.
“I did, and the next stage was that stage to Terminillo so I was completely empty and just trying to hang on to stay inside the time limit.”
Riding against the clock in Tirreno-Adriatico, a race he feels will stand him in good stead for other major events like tomorrow's Milan-San Remo.
He would make the time limit by less than one minute, over half an hour behind winner Quintana.
But he knows that’ll help him in the final this Sunday, if he makes it that far.
“I think the last four climbs, if you put them in any other race, they’d be normal. But after 260 kilometres it’s a different story.
“It’s going to be way different to anything else I’ve ever raced,” he said of what’s in store.
“I’m feeling okay though, a little tired from Tirreno but that’s normal.
“Yesterday I started to feel better and today I’ll do a few openers and I should be good again," he told stickybottle on Thursday.
“I’m always my biggest critic and I always want to do the best ride I can. But realistically, if I finish my first Milan-San Remo it’d be a great achievement.”
And just has he says that, Bennett knows he sounds defeatist so he goes again.
“But having said that, I’d love to be able to get over the climbs in a strong group.
Bennett has already shown he can win at this level but is perhaps one big victory away from joining the sport's small group of truly elite sprinters.
"I don’t know if I’ll make it in the first group but I’d like to. To even finish the race would be a big thing for me.
“I haven’t done it before so I really don’t know what to expect. I’ll give it my best shot.
“The team will be minding me but we just don’t know how I’ll be.
“If I can stay near Kristoff (defending champion) I’ll be okay but the distance could get to me I think.
“I’ve had good race preparation for this and I’ve had a good week too so I can’t really do any more, just race it and give it 110 per cent.”
After Milan San Remo is another one-day WordTour race in Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday week and it’s a race Bennett feels he’s more likely to contest.
“Hopefully my form will be good for that; that’s a race I could get up in," he said, having finished 12th there last year.
“Everything has to go right on the day but the preparation has been really good and then I do Scheldeprijs a few days later and that’s a race I could also do well in.”
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