Sam Bennett will go down in history as the man who deposed Peter Sagan from his ownership of the Tour de France green jersey but if he wants to repeat that achievement next year he'll have to overcome Wout van Aert.
The Belgian rider, who won a bunch sprint, mountain stage and TT stage at last year's Tour, has made statements in recent years about one day going for the green jersey at the race.
However, with Primož Roglič in his Jumbo Visma team, their efforts have so far all gone into the fight for the yellow jersey.
But now Van Aert has said he will go to the Tour next year to aim for the green jersey, adding he expects team support in that classification, even though Roglič will still be aiming for yellow.
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"Next year I really want to go for the green jersey," Van Aert told Het Laatste Nieuws. "Then that's what will happen, and we will make a plan that fits in the general team tactics.
"Even then, it does not mean that I am by definition a 'loose pawn' and that the six others can concentrate on Roglič.
"My point is that if I go for green, I expect the team to support me in that. And it would be a bit strange to say, 'Primož I won't help you'."
Sam Bennett, who won two Tour stages in 2020 and claimed the green jersey, missed the race this year due to injury. Mark Cavendish stepped into the vacant sprinting role at Deceuninck-QuickStep and won four stages and the green jersey.
Bennett is moving back to Bora-hansgrohe for the next two seasons and his main goal at the Tour next year will be winning stages and the green jersey.
