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Sam Bennett has said while today’s stage 14 on the Tour de France was very hard as Bora-hansgrohe tried to target him, he felt much better than yesterday.
While he faced a battle to survive on the summit finish of Friday’s stage 13, Bennett said he recovered very well before the start of today’s stage and he felt "like a new man" on the bike today.
Bora-hansgrohe attacked him on the cat 4 climb today before the intermediate sprint, ensuring Peter Sagan got away from the peloton and took 3rd at the sprint point behind a two-man move.
Bennett was 5th at the sprint and later, on the cat 2 Col du Béal, Bora-hansgrohe went all-out to drop Bennett and most of his team mates.
For a long period Bora-hansgrohe was riding on the front of the bunch while Bennett and his Deceuninck-QuickStep team were riding on the front of a large group two minutes back the road. CCC Team then joined the effort up front, aiding Bora-hansgrohe after it had shed some of its riders.
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The pressure applied by Bora-hansgrohe, who Bennett rode with for six seasons until the end of last year, ensured the Irishman never got back on; his group sitting up when it was clear their chase was futile.
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However, Sagan could only manage 4th on the stage meaning his gain on Bennett today was limited to 23 points; far from a disaster for the Irish rider.
And while Bennett faced a battle today, which was expected to continue, he finished well inside the time limit and retains his points classification lead.
"It was a hard day. I still had a much better day
than yesterday, sensation-wise. Yesterday I was dead; this morning I was a new
man,” Bennett explained
“Today didn’t take a lot out of me, I feel well after
all. I am in a better shape than yesterday. I was afraid I might not come back from
yesterday’s effort.
“When you go too deep on a Tour de France stage you normally end up paying for it… But today I am a new man. I hope tomorrow it’s an easier day.”
Bennett added he could immediately see before the cat 4
climb that Bora-hansgrohe was intent on targeting him in a bid to drop him.
“On the climb before the intermediate sprint they tried
to hurt the legs, but I gave it my all,” said Bennett.
“And even though I got dropped, I soldiered on and was
happy to take some valuable points. The team did a great job for me and tried
to get me back, but it wasn’t possible.
“So we decided to ease up after the third climb as there
was no point in chasing hard. I can call myself fortunate to have such amazing
teammates around me.
“It’s still a long way to go to Paris and we know it
won’t be easy, but we will keep fighting.”
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