Sam Bennett is out of the men’s road race at the World Road Championships in Flanders this weekend.
The Carrick-on-Suir sprinter was out of racing for four months with a knee injury but returned to the peloton less than two weeks ago. He rode for Ireland at the European Championships in Trento, Italy, on his return.
He abandoned that race and then went on last weekend to ride two races for his trade team, Deceuninck-QuickStep. However, while he started both Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen and Gooikse Pijl, he was a non-finisher in both.
Bennett won two stages and the points classification at Volta ao Algarve em Bicicleta in early May; working for team mate Kasper Asgreen deep into the final hilly stage to round off a great ride. However, he was then due to start Baloise Belgium Tour, from June 9th, and was unable to ride that race.
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He had suffered a knee injury after banging his leg off the handlebars while training. And that injury ruled him out of Baloise Belgium Tour, which Mark Cavendish rode in his place instead.
Bennett's injury lingered and he said he was unable to ride the Tour de France, because of his injury - though he felt it was recovered - and also the loss of condition suffered when he was resting his knee. Since then his team boss, Patrick Lefevere, has made disparaging remarks repeatedly about Bennett and said he was preparing to cut the Irishman's salary by half.
However, Bennett started the Europeans for Ireland the Sunday before last in Trento, where he was a surprise addition to the Irish team. Once Bennett started that race, Lefevere said it was no longer possible to cut the Irish sprinter's salary. (Under UCI rules, teams can cut a rider's salary, but only if they are unavailable to race for more than three months).
It is unclear if Cycling Ireland could now draft another rider into the team to replace him at the Worlds.
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Cycling Ireland has issued this statement, below.
More to come.
Cycling Ireland statement
Cycling Ireland has confirmed Sam Bennett has withdrawn from the men’s road race at the UCI Road World Championships in Flanders, Belgium which takes place on Sunday, 26th September.
The Carrick-on-Suir sprinter recently made his return to racing for the European Road Championships after injury forced him out of the 2021 Tour de France and has since been back in action with his team, Deceuninck – Quick-Step.
Commenting on his withdrawal from the World Championships, Bennett said:
"It is always an honour to represent Ireland on the international stage. However, unfortunately competing in this year’s World Road Championships will not be possible. I am very happy to be back racing pain free and with each race I know my fitness levels and race sharpness are improving. However at this stage, a gruelling 260km race is probably a step too far. I wish Eddie Dunbar, Rory Townsend and Ryan Mullen the very best this weekend and will be supporting them from afar."
We wish Sam well for the remainder of the season.
The Irish team for the men’s road race on Sunday includes Eddie Dunbar, Rory Townsend and Ryan Mullen.
