Sam Bennett took a stage win on last year's Tour of Britain and two other podium places. He seems to be flying this season and faces his next challenge in Oman this week.
By Gerard Cromwell
Ireland’s Sam Bennett got his professional career off to a great start at the Tour of Qatar last week, taking three top 10 finishes and wearing the white jersey of best young rider for a day.
Now faced with some of the best sprinters in the world, including former world champion Tom Boonen and prolific German powerhouse Andre Greipel, Bennett admits he has had to up his game to try and stay in contention in the mass bunch sprint finishes.
“They are extremely strong,” admitted 24-year-old Bennett who starts the Tour of Oman tomorrow,Tuesday.
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“But not every sprint suits one guy. Nobody was going to beat Greipel on stage five, but I would have fancied my chances on stage four.
“I got onto his wheel inside the last kilometre but his lead-out train ran out of steam and started to slow up just before the sprint started. Guys came around the outside and I was totally boxed in and couldn’t use my sprint.
“I thought I was on for a great result but ended up fifth, which was a pity as I had great legs that day.”
Bennett’s eighth place on the final stage was earned in a free for all gallop to the line that saw even Greipel miss out on a spot in the top ten.
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“The boys did a great job all week,” he says of his new NetApp Endura teammates.
“We tried again to move up as a team, but it got a bit too hectic so we came up late on the left hand side. I was dropped not so far from Griepel’s wheel but then Tinkoff-Saxo went really hard and fast on the right.
“I pulled over to the right hand side and tried to go at 200 metres, but everyone else kicked at same time and I nearly rubbed wheels with somebody and had to brake. I tried to tuck in and kick again but I put myself into a little dead end behind guys and was never going to make the ground up in the end.”
While his team are delighted with their new Irish signing’s performance this week, Bennett admits he was slightly disappointed not to snatch a podium place somewhere along the way in Qatar.
“I’m disappointed in myself but I think I have so much to improve on. My speed and kick was there, but I need more pulling power, more torque, just before I sprint.
“I don’t want to be one of those sprinters that can only follow and never win. Nobody goes into a race to get fifth or seventh. I need to be getting good results consistently. I’m just going to have to watch everything again and see what I can improve for future sprints but it was a nice race to start the season.”
Bennett will be looking for more of this in the months ahead...
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