Sam Bennett with members of his Belgian based supporters club at the official launch on Tuesday night.
By Graham Healy
Over the years many top cyclists in Belgium, France and Italy have had supporters clubs established by their enthusiastic fans. Amongst current big names, Tom Boonen, Damiano Cunego and Phillipe Gilbert all boast substantially sized clubs.
In Belgium, these fan clubs usually have a designated bar where they congregate to watch and cheer on their man in any race he may be riding.
Those who have attended pro road or cyclocross races on the Continent, especially the World Championships, may have seen members of the clubs in attendance with banners and t-shirts showing their support.
The latest addition to the list of such clubs is one in Belgium which has just been established for Ireland’s Sam Bennett.
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It was launched on Tuesday evening in the Sport ‘O’ Bello café in Moorslede, not far from Wervik on the French border, where Bennett lived for a short time.
The first-year professional appeared on the night, and the event boasted an impressive attendance.
One of the founders of the club is Rik Masil. He became friends with Sam’s father Michael when he played professional football for Eendracht Wervik.
They have remained in contact ever since and Masil has in recent years teamed up with Dany Blondeel of “The Belgian Project”.
It has given greatly to the Irish scene in recent years in placing Irish riders with host clubs and host families abroad, enabling the Irish to further their international ambitions.
Masil and Blondeel are two of the unsung heroes of the Irish scene for that work.
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Members of Bennett’s club have been encouraged to wear green to show their support for the Irishman. Benefits of membership of the Sam Bennett Fan Club include three free drinks at the Sport ‘O’ Bello and a club polo shirt.
It has a new website, www.gosam.eu. The café bar may be worth visiting if any Irish fans are in the vicinity during one of Bennett’s races.
You’ll also find them on Facebook and Twitter @gosambennett.
Bennett with members of the new club, decked out in their green T-shirts in support of the Carrick-on-Suir man.
Bennett is riding this year with NetApp-Endura. Seen here with Rik Masil (right), who has been helping Irish cyclists for a number of years.
Dany Blondeel has been driving The Belgian Project, through which a large number of Irish cyclists have benefited over the years.
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