Sam Bennett never intended, even a couple of weeks ago, to race around the roads of central Romania in July, believing instead he was bound for the Tour de France. However, when he was omitted from the Bora-hansgrohe team for the French Grand Tour, it immediately became clear he would next compete at Sibiu Cycling Tour.
While it is nowhere near as glamorous as cycling's most famous race, currently unfolding in France; Bennett had a job to do. He had to go to Romania and win the two sprinters' stages and begin to get his season back on track. Having done that - winning the bunch sprints on stage 1 on Thursday and yesterday on stage 4a - he took 2nd in the stage 4b TT yesterday evening, missing victory by one tenth of a second. He also claimed the points classification.
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And while his results in this race won't exactly go down in history, they were achieved against the backdrop of his replacement in the Tour, Jordi Meeus, struggling in what is his second Grand Tour. Most important is the fact Bennett is emerging from the four-day UCI 2.1-ranked race in Romania having proven sure-footed; a marked change from recent months when he has looked a little lost.
Even when he wasn't aiming for his own results in Romania - the summit finishes of stages 2 and 3 better suited to his team mates - Bennett was on the front working for the team, including while in the yellow jersey on Friday having won the opening stage. Again, yesterday morning, though he eventually won the stage, he was part of a team plan to try and split the race. Bora-hansgrohe hoped Maximilian Schachmann, who won the previous day, might take the yellow jersey, though the German crashed.
“We had two scenarios in mind for today," Bennett said after winning stage 4a. "We wanted to try something during the day to make a move in GC, but in case there was a sprint, I was of course ready. It’s a pity that Max crashed.
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"But Gampi (Patrick Gamper) delivered me perfect on Menten’s wheel on the last kilometre. I passed him before the final turn because I knew it’s narrow then and only 150m to the line. I carried my speed well and took another win. It’s great to be back on track and my confidence is also coming back.”
Bennett seemed to easily beat Milan Menten (Lotto Dstny) into 2nd place on stages 1 and 4a. And though the Irish rider did not celebrate either of his stage wins as he crossed the line - perhaps mindful he was racing against mostly much smaller teams - he had made a statement. A win in the TT yesterday would have been the cherry on top. But his 2nd place offered up more proof of badly needed momentum moving his way.
That's a crucial detail for Bennett, especially as he is out of contract this year, in a season when he took his first win in Argentina way back in January and only tasted victory for a second time last Thursday in Romania. Team management - who have been no friend to Bennett of late - even managed a some encouraging words after his performances in Romania.
“We are the only World Team competing here, so there is a lot of responsibility on our shoulders. But the boys did a great job," said sports director Jens Zemke of Bennett'a first stage win. "In the end, Sam was also delivered perfectly for the sprint. Hats off to Sam for performing so well here."
Zemke added yesterday that Bennett had done well again to win the morning stage. "The TT also went well. Sam missed another win only by a tenth of a second and Florian did a good job to claim 6th place overall. We are happy with these results but also with the whole race and the three victories we could celebrate.”
Hopefully his results in recent days can be the start of something bigger for the remainder of the season. Bennett will fancy his chances of winning stages at La Vuelta, for example, though whether team management will share that view remains to be seen.
