Sam Bennett sprinting to 4th in Spain yesterday, with Fabian Cancellara just behind the Irishman in black.
By Brian Canty
Sam Bennett has voiced his disappointment with his fourth place finish in yesterday’s Trofeo Playa de Palma (1.1) in Mallorca.
The Bora-Argon 18 sprinter admitted he had an “off day”.
He believed if he had had the same legs as during Thursday’s Trofeo Santanyi-Ses Salines-Campos where he place 10th, he would have taken “really good result”.
“You know me, I’m never happy,” lamented the Carrick man.
“It was really cold and by the time I got a rain jacket I was soaked through to the chest.
“And because I’m a bit leaner this year my body couldn’t cope with the cold and just shut down, I just didn’t have legs today.”
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However, he still put it up to the best guys in the world.
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“I got great support from all the team today and they got me in a really great position but when I went to go the legs weren’t there.
“At the start it was okay and then the sun came out. But then it rained and got really cold, like a really bad day in Belgium.
“We just made sure to be at the front on the descent to the finish; 40 or 50 got shelled out the back because of all the hairpins. It was just switchbacks all the way down.”
And coming to the line towards the end of the 168-kilometre race, Bennett was ideally placed to land what would have been a brilliant win against a world class field.
“We were at the front and had no stress and then it warmed up a bit.
“We had the whole team in the final, everyone was keyed up for it; everything went to plan.
“With two kilometres to go I just got separated and Shane (Archbold) and Zak (Dempster) got me up near (Andre) Greipel, behind (eventual winner Matteo) Pelucchi, and (Ben) Swift.
“But I just didn’t have it. I had an off day.”
Bennett will now turn his attention to the Tour of Qatar (2.HC) which starts next Sunday and finishes the following Friday, January 13th.
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