Kelly, Roche and now Bennett: New Irish chapter at Paris-Nice | Video | Sticky Bottle

Stephen Roche and Sean Kelly are two Irish riders who etched their names into the history books of Paris-Nice ☘️@friebos looks at how Sam Bennett is now leaving a mark on the 'Race to the Sun' pic.twitter.com/jshxeRSF0H

— ITV Cycling (@itvcycling) March 12, 2021

ITV Cycling had done this great little feature on Sam Bennett at Paris-Nice with a look back at the days of Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche

Sam Bennett has been writing his name into cycling's history books in recent years and this week in Paris-Nice has added another chapter.

He has already won two stages of the race this year - to bring his career total to five - and today he went on the attack in the breakaway on the hilly stage 7.

ITV Cycling has done a great feature, above, on Bennett's ride in the race and his career to date, which also features footage of Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche in their prime.

*Stephen Roche wins Paris-Nice is a first-year professional back in 1981; a sign of what was to come during his time in the pro peloton*

Roche won Paris-Nice overall in 1981, as a 21-year-old neo pro, and he took five stage wins at the event during his career. Kelly took the mantle from Roche in 1982 when he won the race overall; the first of seven victories in a row.Kelly also took 14 stage wins at Paris-Nice during his career.

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When Sam Bennett pulled on the yellow jersey after his stage 1 win last weekend, it was the first time an Irishman had led the race since Roche in 1990. The Dubliner claimed the then white leader's jersey for two stages in 1990 before losing it to Miguel Indurain.

Bennett said he was delighted to take yellow after fellow Carrick-on-Suir man Kelly had won the race so many times.

*Sean Kelly on his way to his last win in the race in 1988, in the days when the leader's jersey was white*

He he said he was determined to get up the road today and help his Deceuninck-Quick tep team mate, Mattia Cattaneo, who was also in the 13-man breakaway. And he also saw it as a very useful strength session for Milan-Sanremo, the classic he will try to win next weekend.

“Yeah, it’s good training. But also I wanted to do a good ride for Cataneo and get him as far as possible into the climb, ahead of the peloton, once we were there," he said.

Sam Bennett added: "So I just tried to do my best for him, it’s not often I can give back to the guys, and so when I had the opportunity, I went deep," he added, explaining while he also took maximum points at the intermediate sprint, the race was too hilly for him to win the green jersey.

*Sam Bennett in yellow this week after his stage 1 victory*

Race leader Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma) won the stage again today - his third victory of the week - to extend his race lead and his lead in the points classification. He is now on 57 points to Bennett's 39.

"If the intermediates were on the flat maybe I could target it a bit more, but there’s just too many of them uphill," he said of the green jersey competition.

"It’s just when I was there (today in the breakaway), I might I thought I might as well take them, because you never know what happens, but I wasn’t thinking of green today. Overall I'm in good form, and it’s a bit more strength and conditioning.”