The overhead video really shows the movement of Sam Bennett and Elia Viviani in the sprint, and the bump near the end. The Irish rider sounded delighted in his post-stage interview.
Overhead video reveals Sam Bennett's sprint movement
After Irish hearts had stopped racing at the end of today’s stage 7 at the Giro d’Italia the analysis of Sam Bennett’s stage win began.
Having finished third twice, on the opening two stages in Israel, Bennett did something different today.
Rather than see double stage winner Elia Viviani come off his wheel to win again, Bennett got onto his rival’s wheel.
The overhead video of the finale show how doggedly Bennett tracked him.
And having followed Viviani through the bunch for 5km, Bennett didn’t panic when the QuickStep train left it late to bring its leader to the front.
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Just as the Irish rider had Viviani where he wanted him, he bumped pretty heavily off a QuickStep man as the sprint began.
Even in the heat of the gallop moments later, the overhead shot shows Bennett freewheel for an instant.
He looks to be switching to the other side of Viviani’s wheel to give himself room to exit from behind the Italian; as you can see from this clip.
In the latest #Giro101 show @gcntweet discuss the various sprint tactics on display in Stage 7 pic.twitter.com/FsKj2MVHw5
— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) May 11, 2018
And Bennett said afterwards he had also freewheeled for a second because it was just a moment too early to sprint flat out.
In the end he was proven right; his timing was impeccable. And for the first time since 1987 an Irish cyclist won at the Giro; a moment’s instinctive hesitation bridging a 31-year gap.
Bennett was understandably, and deservedly, delighted with himself afterwards.
When he was third on stage 3 he posted some of his power data on Twitter, essentially saying he could do no more.
But that pressure was clearly lifted after today’s win. And the monkey is now off his back.
Furthermore, the Bora-hansgrohe sprinter is a better climber than most of his sprint rivals. So few would bet against him getting another stage before this race is over.
"I feel like I'm going to sleep like a baby tonight,” he said. “The most pressure comes from myself.
“I saw on the first stages the power I could produce. So it was just about keeping the faith and having patience.
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“Even in the final today; when you're so far back with 5k to go, you can panic and go too early. But it was just about waiting.”
First ever stage win in a grand tour for Belgium born @Sammmy_Be @giroditalia Here’s a short interview with him. @BORAhansgrohe Congratz! 1’16” ?✔
•••#Giro101 #AmoreInfinito1 #Sporza??#reporter? @sporza_koers #GirodItalia #Italy?? pic.twitter.com/ann9hv4QDM— Renaat Schotte (@wielerman) May 11, 2018
Getting Viviani’s wheel today, and following it through the bunch and the bumping, was the key to his win.
"I just had to get that wheel,” confirmed the Carrick-on-Suir man, now with six career WorldTour wins to his name.
“I needed a bit of patience as well. I had to freewheel for a moment at one point because I knew it was just a bit too early. When the time was right I really took it up.”
While he had pointed to his power earlier, he said waiting and waiting was the key today.
"I think the hardest thing today was to have patience,” he confirmed. “QuickStep left it too late.
“I saw them looking back and checking me; maybe trying to get me to panic and go early again.
"They were really far back and I thought there was no way we’d come back because there was the chicane still to come.
"And I thought for sure it would be one line. So even if we did get back, would I still have the power still to go? There were a few close calls, but we made it.
"I could see the same thing with Lotto Jumbo. They went early and Viviani saw the opportunity. It was Viviani’s team mate that took his wheel to try to give him more breathing space. And they closed the door there.
“I kept my cool and it paid off. I feel more relaxed. A weight is off my shoulders now.
"The first few stages I just got the timing a bit wrong. I had the power, I knew what I was capable of. But it’s one thing having the belief and another thing doing it."
Bennett also said he will miss Rudi Selig; the big German lead-out man he has worked with so well in the past. Selig has had to leave the race due to illness before today's stage.
"It was really disappointing to lose Rudi," he said. "But the guys did a great job today. And I could see they had real big belief in me.
"I want to thank them all for the support; the team that’s working hard behind the scenes and everybody that helped me to get to this point in my career.
"Anything else now is a bonus. Obviously, I really want to win again. But it’s going to be more relaxing because today I felt a lot of pressure.
"There’s less opportunities after this stage. And there are so many tough stages to come. I’m just so much more relaxed."
GCN and Eurosport have done a tidy analysis of the sprint with Guardian journalist Will Fotheringham and Dan Lloyd. You can see that, with the bump at the end, if you follow this link and skip to the final third of the clip.
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