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Sam Bennett has switched from his Irish champion's kit to the regular Deceuninck-QuickStep livery, giving his new look a first outing at Gent Wevelgem yesterday.
The 29-year-old points classification winner, and double stage winner, at the Tour de France won the Irish title last year but did not ride the Irish championship race in Limerick just over a week ago.
Instead Ben Healy of Trinity Racing took a fantastic win at the championships and that iconic Irish champion's jersey now passes to him to wear for the next year.
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Sam Bennett in action during his first outing of the year after relinquishing his Irish title (Photo: Martine Verfaillie)
That meant a switch back to regular team kit for Bennett and because he only joined Deceuninck-QuickStep this year, when he had already become Irish champion, yesterday was the first time he'd worn his new team's standard kit.
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While Deceuninck-QuickStep had plenty of riders up the road yesterday and Florian Sénéchal claimed 2nd behind winner Mads Pedersen (Trek Segafredo), Bennett did not feature at the pointy end of the action.
He hadn't raced since the Tour and that break perhaps put him at a disadvantage yesterday as those riders to the fore have all been racing a busy schedule in recent weeks.
Bennett was a non-finisher yesterday as was Ireland's only other rider in the race, Ryan Mullen, whose team mate Pedersen took the victory.
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