Sam Bennett has some of the biggest races in the world on his programme in the busy spring period just ahead. Seen here at the centre of media attention after his win at the weekend, he can expect to become much better known at home if he rides the Tour de France this year.
By Shane Stokes
The prospect of Sam Bennett riding the Tour de France in his debut season as a pro rider took a leap forward at the weekend when he notched up his first victory with the NetApp Endura team.
While the Carrick on Suir rider has said he is uncertain about his chances of getting selected, he has made clear that competing in the race is a big goal for him.
“At the moment I’m going really, really well,” he told stickybottle when asked what his pecking order was amongst the team’s fast men and what his chances were of making the cut in July.
Advertisement
“There are other really, really fast sprinters in the team. I think if we can put all of them in the right position, we can all win races.
“As regards the Tour, I have no idea right now. At the minute my form is pretty good, I am happy with it. I am neo pro and so I honestly don’t know.
“I’d absolutely love to ride the Tour de France and I’d love them to be able to choose me. But I can’t really presume anything when there are so many other riders on the team.”
Still, he’s every intention of trying to be there.
“I’ll wait and see what the team decides. In the meantime, I’ll just keep trying to get results.”
Bennett won a stage in the Tour of Britain last September and further underlined his sprinting ability when he finished second to Milan-Sanremo winner Gerald Ciolek on stage two and then to multiple Tour de France stage victor Mark Cavendish on the final day in London.
Already on the radar of several teams, the performances of the-then An Post Chainreaction rider earned him a two-year deal with the NetApp Endura team.
He began racing with the German squad three weeks ago in the Tour of Qatar and went on to the Tour of Oman.
Those opening races went well, with third place on the final stage of the latter and a further four top ten finishes bolstering his confidence and leading to him believing he could win the Clasica de Almeria on Sunday.
He duly did so, blasting in ahead of Juan Jose Lobato (Movistar), Davide Vigano (Caja Rural – Seguros RGA), Fran Ventoso (Movistar) and the others in the front group.
“I thought we were going into the race unknown, but Movistar actually knew me…I was surprised at that,” he said modestly.
Related News
“They were trying to make it hard on the climbs for me, but I was actually quite comfortable. I surprised myself,” he said.
While the high pace didn’t put Bennett in trouble, it helped his chances as many other sprinters were shelled out the back on the climbs. The list of contenders was further reduced when the hammer went down in the crosswinds, reducing the front group to a small cluster of riders.
Movistar continued to show concern about his presence and drilled it at the front, but Bennett was both feeling strong and also being protected well by his team-mates.
“I was pretty comfortable in those crosswinds…after the Tour of Qatar, it didn’t seem that bad,” he said.
“My team did a great job – they went a little early before the sprint but they put the race in the gutter and Movistar had to go in the wind.
“I could see people coming on the right and somebody coming on the left. I went early, jumping at 250 metres and taking the inside line into the final right hand bend.
“When I got around that corner there was a block headwind; at 100 metres to go I thought, ‘right, I am not going to hold this,’ as my legs started to buckle, but I held them off.”
André Greipel takes victory on stage 6 of the Tour of Oman last month, with Sam Bennett in 3rd place; green frame sunglasses
Clocking up his first win so early is a massive boost to his morale and will further motivate him for the upcoming races. It is also the first win of 2014 for NetApp Endura, and team manager Ralph Denk is pleased with that plus how well he has settled in.
“For us was a goal to have an early team success after the Tour de France wildcard decision,” he told stickybottle.
“This first season victory takes pressure off the team and we can work continues to the next goals.”
For Bennett, those next goals will include some of the biggest races on at this time of the year. His team confirmed his provisional programme to stickybottle, and he has some quality racing ahead.
Next up for him is Tirreno Adriatico, which runs from March 12th to 18th, and which will likely offer at least a couple of bunch sprints for him to show his talents.
After that he will compete in the Dwars door Vlaanderen on March 26th and then line out in the Gent-Wevelgem race on March 30th.
Bennett said he will keep working hard, believing that while he is going well at present, he can continue to improve.
“I was kind of worried in Almeria as I am a bit overweight. I was afraid before Almeria that I wouldn’t be able to climb at the minute, but I was comfortable on the climbs.
"I'm four kilos heavier than the Tour of Britain so when the weight comes off, I will be going better again. There is definitely room for improvement.”
Topics
