Sam Bennett has said he was "in denial" about the Tour de France this year - which he was not selected for - but believes he can have a very strong season in 2023 and compete for the Tour green jersey again. He also planned to tackle a number of the classics, saying he was determined to put "one of the most frustrating seasons" of his career behind him.
He added while he was very careful to wear a mask to minimise the risk of contracting Covid-19, he suspected wearing the mask so often undermined his immune system. And as he had poor form this year, he did not have the capacity to emerge from a period of illness with strong condition, as he usually would.
"You want to have an immune system again, you don't want to be in the middle of Paris Nice or around the classics and you're picking up every little sniffle you need to have an immune system," he said. "So next year (and) over the Christmas I'll wear (a mask) a bit less. But when it comes within four weeks, or two weeks, of a very important race (I will) be careful again; much more careful. Maybe I need to pass that by the doctors first, but it's an idea."
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While Bennett did not ride the Tour last year due to illness and did not ride it this year, as he was not selected by his Bora-hansgrohe team, he recaptured his form at La Vuelta. Because of that, he said he was no longer playing "catch-up" with his sprint rivals, felt his condition was "back to normal" and was now very motivated for next season. And he believed winning green at the Tour again was a real possibility.
"I did it before and there's no reason why I can't do it again," Bennett said during a media day at his team's training camp in Mallorca. "Everything seems to be coming back into place. I think I struggled getting some of my peak power this season. But it seems to just come when I build up my engine and do bigger endurance rides; train more like a classics rider.
"It's weird. When I don't do specific sprint work, and I just do normal training and get fit, the power comes. I don't know why that is. When it was sprint work it just kind of stayed the same," he said, with his recapturing of his form late last season clearly giving him the confidence to aim as high as possible for the Tour next year.
"There are eight sprints. Out of a possible eight sprints some might be hillier towards the end. And trying to get there it's going to be hard," he said. "But I think I have to believe it as well. I wouldn't be the rider I am today if I didn't believe that I was able to do it. And it's not like I'm going into unknown territory where I didn't do it before. So why not?"
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Bora-hansgrohe went with a general classification selection for this year's Tour and Bennett was not picked for the race. He selection chances were not helped by the fact he was struggling to find winning form again as he was still trying to return following an injury-hit 2021 season.
Bennett had left Bora-hansgrohe - for Deceuninck-QuickStep - at the end of 2021 because the German team would not pick him for the Tour or Giro. He rejoined Bora-hansgrohe on a two-year deal at the start of this year. However, there was no hint of any bitterness about returning to the team this year only to be left out of the Tour de France line-up again.
"I was in denial," he said, laughing to himself about the Tour this year. "I believed I was going. I probably would have got better as the race went on. But, you know, if I was the team manager and I looked at the results and I looked at the racing I'd probably do the same. I think it's understandable.
"And I think the main thing is that when I am going good and the opportunities are there, to take them. That's the most important thing. And in the end it (not going to the Tour) might have been the best decision this year because I got two stage wins in the Vuelta before I got sick. And I was chasing green and it really got me back to my old self. So, I mean, it's sport; you're going to have moments where you're disappointed. It's just bike racing."
Overall, he said he was very happy with his decision to return to Bora-hansgrohe, adding it was "frustrating" to have such high quality team support this year and not be in a position to capitalise on that because he had struggled for form for so long.
Looking ahead, Bennett will start his season next month at Vuelta a San Juan International (2.Pro) in Argentina before riding UAE Tour and Paris-Nice. His main goal would be the Tour - though he also wanted to ride the Vuelta - and he believed he could aim high in those races.
"I really want to get that Madrid win so I have the full collection," he said of hoping to win the final stage of the Vuelta having already won the final stage of both the Tour and Giro. "I don't know did any other sprinter do that yet. So that would be something that would be quite nice and maybe try and get another green jersey in one of the two (Grand Tours)."
He believed winning green in the Tour again - after doing so in 2020 - was possible.
"I did it before and there's no reason why I can't do it again," he said. "Everything seems to be coming back into place. I think I struggled getting some of my peak power this season, but it seems to just come when I build up my engine and do bigger endurance rides and train more like a classics rider.
"It's weird... when I don't do specific sprint work and I just do normal training and get fit, the power comes. I don't know why that is. When it was sprint work it just kind of stayed the same.
"So yes I think it's possible. There are eight sprints. Out of a possible eight sprints some might be hillier towards the end. And trying to get there it's going to be hard. But I think I have to believe it as well. I wouldn't be the rider I am today if I didn't believe that I was able to do it. And it's not like I'm going into unknown territory where I didn't do it before. So why not?"
