By Shane Stokes
Sam Bennett stood under a rain-splattered marque tent at the finish line of yesterday’s Irish road race championships, chatting to fellow competitors, standing for photos with fans and soaking up the atmosphere in Dungannon, Co Tyrone.
He had finished the elite men’s road race a short while beforehand and received a bronze medal, having ridden well all day in a long effort which contrasted considerably with his usual role as a sprinter.
While he wanted to win, he told stickybottle he accepted that Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) was on a storming ride and also praised the efforts of defending champion Rory Townsend (Bolton Equities Black Spoke) and Rás Tailteann winner Dillon Corkery (CC Étupes).
“It’s quite a different race than I’m used to. I’m used to having a big team riding for me, controlling it all day and then doing my thing at the end,” he said. “But for one day, you have to totally change how you ride a bike. And it’s quite difficult. It’s an aggressive style of racing, making sure you move at the beginning and you get there. You have to use a lot of energy to get in. So I think I managed it quite well."
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Bennett continued: “I think just with the week that’s in it, the legs weren’t really there today. We were playing a good game, actually. We left Ben up the road, we were just trying to control him at 20 seconds, 30 seconds, and we had plans of reeling him in. But he never came back!”
Indeed that’s exactly how it appeared to spectators and race officials. Healy went clear with approximately 100 kilometres to go and opened a solid gap. However this fluctuated between approximately 20 and 40 seconds for a long time and with Bennett, Bora-hansgrohe teammate Ryan Mullen, Townsend, Corkery and Leo Doyle (ARBO – Headstart ON Fahrrad) tapping through, it looked like the chasers were biding their time before later trying to reel Healy in.
“We just kind of played like that. And then all of a sudden our legs fell off before his,” Bennett laughed. “That’s just the way it is. I expected a bit more for myself, but it’s a different style of racing. I’m happy with the result.”
With two laps to go Healy had 29 seconds on those behind. Mullen had been doing a lot of the chasing, potentially helping Bennett, and inside that penultimate lap the latter and Townsend pushed ahead of the others in a big effort to close down on Healy.
They brought the gap down to 22 seconds, but Bennett’s strength started to flag and Townsend pushed ahead. Bennett was caught by Mullen and Corkery, dropped by them, but came back strongly at the end to secure bronze.
“It’s completely different to what I’m used to and what I train for. I think I rode a good race. I blew up when I was doing too much attacking with about two laps to go, trying to follow Townsend. The two of those boys were flying, Healy and Townsend. The legs just blew up."
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Bennett continued: “So then I got caught and I was alone for most of the last lap. Then I caught the two boys, they were just one-twoing. Then they got away from me again on the last corner, with 500 to go. I could see them looking at each other and I just wound it up. I could just hold on for third then. It’s quite funny.”
Bennett was singing the praises of Corkery, the Rás Tailteann winner. He believes he did a very strong performance and that he has the quality to turn professional.
“I can tell you, Corkery is a fantastic rider. Really classy bike rider,” he said. “He won the Rás this year. I didn’t actually recognize him when I was in the move with him. The last time I saw him, he was younger guy, he was smaller. And he’s a man now, you know! He is a strong guy.
“I definitely think if people give him the correct opportunities, he could go very far in the sport. I was really impressed with him. I think he has a bright future if he keeps pushing at it.”
Bennett, his wife Tara and son Benjamin stayed at the finish for quite a while after the end of the championships. Benjamin was clad in one of his father’s Bora-hansgrohe jerseys and, clasped in his father’s arms, appeared to be enjoying his experience of an Irish bike race.
It was a family affair; Bennett’s parents Mike and Helen were also there and stood under the marque tent chatting to people as the skies darkened and torrential rain started to fall.
That didn’t dampen the mood, with Bennett relishing being back racing on Irish roads.
“It’s enjoyable to be here. To be honest, it’s a bit of pressure because you’re so spoiled as a WorldTour rider,” he laughed. “You forget all the things you have to have ready, and makes you appreciate a bit more what the team do for you. I mean, [you have to] get bottles ready. Hand them out to the right people to give it to you. And tire pressure…I don’t even know what tire pressure I use anymore!
“You have to have the bike right, clean, tuned. I wasn’t done until half nine last night! You forget what you have to put into it. It is a bit of an effort, but it was nice to come back.”
Bennett’s good mood was welcome to see, given disappointment of hearing last week that he had not been selected for the Tour de France. Barring a last minute change of mind by Bora-hansgrohe, he will miss the race for the third year in a row, having been injured in 2021 and not being selected by Bora 12 months ago.
He won two stages and the green jersey three years ago and riding strongly yesterday in a race that didn’t suit him suggests that his form would have been good lining out at the Tour.
“I would have loved to have the jersey,” he said. “The race just didn’t unfold the way I wanted it to unfold. But that’s the way it is. The nationals are a very tricky one to get right. You either have a massive engine, like a climber or TT specialist, or everything just goes your way. It is often a lottery. But you just have to turn up and try it every year to have a chance.”
