First year professional Sam Bennett had his first taste of riding in the high mountains at Tirreno-Adriatico this weekend and admits he is learning as he goes.
By Gerard Cromwell
Having acquitted himself admirably on the flatter opening stages of Tirreno-Adriatico, first year professional Sam Bennett got his first real taste of the high mountains over the weekend.
And although he lost plenty of time, the NetApp-Endura rider survived to tell the tale and having learned a few things along the way.
“Today wasn’t so bad,” said Bennett of the mountainous stage 5 to Guardiagrele today, Sunday.
“But yesterday I saw so many stars I thought I was in a different galaxy.”
Dropped by the large 'gruppetto' of non climbers on the penultimate mountain on stage 4, Bennett found himself in a small group containing a handful of riders including his teammate Paul Voss and Omega Pharma Quickstep trio Mark Cavendish, Alessandro Petacchi and Matteo Trentin.
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“I rode until I blew on the climb when the grupetto was already gone," he said.
"So then I had absolutely nothing in the legs and still eight kilometres of that climb and another 70km to the finish with the last 9km up another climb. My legs just wouldn’t turn anymore.
"But my teammate Paul Voss stayed with me. He’s the one that got me to the finish these last two days and I’d like to thank him big time.”
Bennett learned his lesson on today’s stage 5 however and began the final 30 percent climb of Muro di Guardigrele in the 70 strong grupetto, alongside the rest of the sprinters.
“I was okay on the final climb today because I was in the grupetto,” he said, having ridden the climb in a granny gear of 39x28.
“It’s funny, I didn’t think I’d have to learn how to get dropped but if I want to be a sprinter then I’d better get used to it. I see how much I have to improve and when I finally do, it can only make my sprinting better.”
Bennett is enjoying his time in the pro peloton and having finished fourth on stage two, is looking forward to a return of his favoured flatter terrain tomorrow.
“I don’t know how I’ll be tomorrow,” he admits.
“I’ve now ridden the hardest two races of my life back to back, but all I can do is try. It’s a great race though, really enjoyable.”
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