Sam Bennett sprints in for his fifth win of the season and immediately said he was looking forward to the Paris-Tours classic on Sunday.
One of pro cycling’s fastest rising stars, Sam Bennett has credited his Kiwi team mate Shane Archbold for his win in France on Thursday.
The 24-year-old Irish man said Archbold did so much at the front of the bunch on his behalf in the final of Paris-Bourges he thought his chance of victory was gone.
The reigning Commonwealth Games scratch race champion and former omnium silver medalist in at the World Track Championships hit the front early.
However, he showed his worth to the team and the size of his engine by maintaining his surge and perfectly positioning Bennett.
The 190km race came down to a bunch sprint after the last of a large number of attackers was caught with 5km remaining, from which point Bennett’s Bora-Argon 18 and the other sprinters’ teams took control.
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“Coming into the finale it was pretty dangerous but the guys kept me in a good position on the last 10km,” said Bennett.
“Then before the 1km to go banner Shane took over. From that point, he was on the front with me on his wheel.
“I thought it was too early but obviously he just had massive, massive power."
Bennett on the podium in France with the less than ecstatic looking Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) and Italian Giacomo Nizzolo of Trek Factory Racing.
Bennett continued of Archbold's lead-out: "He brought me till 250 metres. He did over 1km on the front. And then I was able to accelerate from his wheel.
“It was a long sprint but it was great. I just want to thank the team for the massive support.”
At the line the Irish rider got the better of Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) and Italian Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek Factory Racing).
Former U23 world champion Arnaud Démare (FDJ.fr) was 4th, with fellow French sprinter Romain Feillu (Bretagne-Séché Environnement) in 5th and Gediminas Bagdonas of AG2R La Mondiale in 6th.
Bennett, Archbold and Bagdonas are all former team mates at An Post-Chainreaction.
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With his fifth win of the season in the bag, this time in a UCI 1.1 race against some very good sprinters, Bennett is now looking forward to the season closing Paris-Tours classic on Sunday.
Sam Bennett taking his first victory of the year at the Tour of Qatar eight months ago. He has held his form all season despite a bad crash and riding himself to a standstill in the Tour de France.
Sunday's Paris-Tours is 231km, with a 1.HC UCI ranking, meaning it will be a tougher affair.
However, having again beaten Bouhanni yesterday – a man who won five Grand Tour stages last year – and also the likes of world champion Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo), Paris-Roubaix and Milan-San Remo winner John Degenkolb (Giant-Alpecin) and a host of other major names already this year, Bennett will go into Sunday with no fear.
“Paris-Tours might be different, and longer for sure, but the win today definitely boosts the confidence,” said the Carrick-on-Suir fast man.
“I didn’t really know how my legs were. But I could accelerate hard and hold it.
“The legs are good. So hopefully we can do something on Sunday.”
Bennett’s sport director Andre Schulze described his latest win as “a fantastic victory for Sam and the entire team”.
“The guys brought Sam in a really good position on the last five kilometers, because it was a twisting finale and therefore the field was a long line,” he said.
“Shane used this race situation and he rode the last 1,000 metres completely from the front.
“He launched the sprint with maximum speed and he did a perfect lead-out down to the 250-metres-mark.
“Sam was able to accomplish this long lead-out. The whole team supported Sam very well today, because he’s in a great shape."
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