An emotional Sam Bennett takes it all in. The reverse angle shows him punch the air repeatedly. The joy and relief in the team when they stop is palpable.
Out of Carrick-on-Suir, Sam Bennett hits the big time
He came up through the domestic scene; out of Irish cycling's spiritual home in Carrick-on-Suir. But Sam Bennett is no longer standing on the shoulders of giants; he's a Giant of the Road himself today.
The 27-year-old has hard times in his career. From the outset, knee injuries prevented him taking up a trial with a pro team when he was just a teenager.
He went to An Post-Chainreaction where he won races. But he was still blighted with injury.
Earlier this year he told stickybottle there were many days when he wondered if he'd ever break through to the big time.
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But a stage in the Tour of Britain in 2013 proved the turning point. After that, he was offered a place at ProContinental level and left An Post for NetApp-Endura.
But that was only after An Post-Chainreaction nurtured him mentally and physically. They kept him going in the tough times and crucially got his knees fixed up with surgery.
Sean Kelly, Bennett's mentor from home, played his part. But it is Bennett's former manager Kurt Bogaerts who cannot be forgotten today.
Anyone who recalls his reaction the day Bennett got his first big win knows the passion of Bogaerts.
When Bennett went to NetApp-Endura, bigger wins came. That team has since morphed into the WorldTour outfit Bennett is currently riding for - Bora-hansgrohe.
And since he started with them back in 2014 he has won 21 races. He has inched forward every season; his first WorldTour win coming just last year when he would take five victories at that level.
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And while he has already beaten all of the top sprinters in the world enough times to be counted in that group himself, today's win is by far his biggest.
Here's a round-up of some of the scenes after he triumphed on stage 7 of the Giro d'Italia today into Praia a Mare.
Sam Bennett, we salute you!
With his team mates
#Giro101
YESS!!!! He did it!!! @Sammmy_Be wins stage 7 @giroditalia pic.twitter.com/KygAYr8mMq— BORA – hansgrohe (@BORAhansgrohe) May 11, 2018
In the interview room
.@Sammmy_Be is 'relieved' after bagging his first grand tour stage victory ?#Giro101 pic.twitter.com/s0C7xznhUL
— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) May 11, 2018
On the podium
Stage seven winner of #Giro101: @Sammmy_Be! ? pic.twitter.com/wXmHuAwXNT
— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) May 11, 2018
In the peloton
The @BORAhansgrohe celebrations! ?#Giro101 pic.twitter.com/7MdUeqZ30X
— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) May 11, 2018
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