Sam Bennett pays tribute to people who helped him in early days
Celebrating overall victory for Gediminas Bagdonas in the 2011 Rás with An Post-Grant Thornton. Left to right Mark McNally, Mark Cassidy, manager Kurt Bogaerts, Bagdonas, Sam Bennett and Ronan McLaughlin (Photo: Lorraine O'Sullivan)
As he prepares for his third ride in Milan-Sanremo this weekend, Sam Bennett has taken time to publicly thank some of those who have helped him along the way.
The 26-year-old Paris-Nice stage winner shared a photo online today of the An Post-Grant Thornton team celebrating overall victory in the An Post Rás 2011.
And with the photo he said of his former squad: “A team that was crazy enough to take on an injured rider and support him.
“Other teams would have never taken me. I now send this Instagram as I travel to my 3rd Milan Sanremo. Thank you for the opportunity.”
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The emotional investment Bennett has in the team is good to see. And it was on show in the team car on the day he took his biggest win as an An Post rider.
You can see the reaction of team manager Kurt Bogaerts that day in the video below.
The 2011 Rás was won by Gediminas Bagdonas and it is the celebration at the conclusion of that race that Sam Bennett was reflected on today.
Bennett played a key role in getting his then team mate across to a breakaway he had missed.
The Carrick-on-Suir man helped keep Bagdonas in yellow on that stage 6 from Blarney to Tramore on a very breezy and fast day.
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That 2011 season was to be the first of three with the team and he retained the U23 Irish road title in that season.
However, he had a number of knee injuries that looked like they would end his career.
And a stagiaire with FDJ was talked about before his An Post days but his knee injury meant it never came to pass.
Sam Bennett's early successes
Bennett would stay with An Post, winning GP van de stad Geel (1.2) in 2011, and taking 10th in the U23 road race at the World Championships the following year.
And in 2013 the breakthrough came when he won two stages of the Rás and stage 5 of the Tour of Britain into Caerphilly.
He was also 2nd on the final stage in London and the second stage into Kendal.
He was beaten in London only by Mark Cavendish (Omega-QuickStep) and on stage 2 by Milan Sanremo winner that year Gerald Ciolek (MTN-Qhubeka).
Bennett held his nerve on the final day to stand his ground in a row after the finish with Elia Viviani.
He was offered a place with then ProContinental team NettApp-Endura after the Tour of Britain.
He is still with them, though they are now a WorldTour team rebranded as Bora-hansgrohe.
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