Embarrassing error on 'RTE Sports Awards' show with Sam Bennett | Video

As mistakes go, it's not the end of the world but it is embarrassing for RTE. Ireland's national broadcaster used a photo of Rémi Cavagna rather than Sam Bennett on last night's Sports Person of the Year Awards. The fact the riders are on the same team, and that face masks were used on cycling race podiums last year, created confusion and saw RTE caught out badly

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You win two stages of the Tour de France and carry the green jersey into Paris, but still the national broadcaster can't get your photo right on its end of season annual awards bash.

Sam Bennett was nominated for the RTE Sport 2020 Sportsperson of the Year Award; a fantastic achievement in itself considering cycling can sometimes be overlooked by traditional media outlets.

The awards were presented via video link this year, with no in-studio gathering. When the photos of each of the shortlisted athletes were put up on screen twice during the TV show they were present and correct for everyone except Sam Bennett.

Rather than using an image of the Carrick-on-Suir man, RTE accidentally used a photo of his Deceuninck-QuickStep French team mate Rémi Cavagna.

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Rémi Cavagna on the podium at La Vuelta on the left, which was the photo RTE used. And Sam Bennett in green on the podium at the Tour, the photo they should have used. However, with cyclists nominated for the two main awards on the night and winning one, we can't complain too much

In RTE's defence, the fact face masks were used by the riders for podium celebrations last year did not help matters and the riders are also from the same team.

Still, considering Bennett's biggest achievement last year was winning the Tour points classification, it's absolutely baffling RTE didn't use a photo of him on the podium in green in Paris.

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In the end last night, there was no joy for Bennett as Katie Taylor scooped the award again, having also won in 2012.

However, Bennett's popularity with the Irish public was clear to see when the Teneo sports survey of the public for 2020 was published earlier this week.

Katie Taylor was the most admired athlete and was also voted as having the biggest achievement of the year and most memorable moment of the year, both for her defeat of Delfine Persoon.

However, Sam Bennett's points classification win at the Tour was voted the second biggest achievement of the year and his win on the final stage of the race into Paris was voted the second most memorable moment of the year.

Aside from the error by RTE with the photo of Bennett on such a big night, the Irish cycling community had plenty to cheer for as Ireland's junior downhill world champion, Oisín O’Callaghan, won the RTE Young Sportsperson of 2020 Award.

The nominated athletes

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