Sam Bennett (far right) takes the bunch sprint for third in Cootehill in the 2012 An Post Ras (Photo: J Rafferty)
Sam Bennett (An Post-Sean Kelly) has gotten off to a stormer of a start in the Boucles de la Mayenne (UCI 2.2) four-day in France today, Thursday, taking 10th place in the 4.5km prologue TT.
The Irishman was in good company near the top of the leader board, finishing just six seconds down on stage winner Paul Poux ((Saur-Sojasun); the in-form French pro rider who has already won a stage and the GC in the Rhône-Alpes Isère Tour this year.
Tour de France stage winner Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis) was fifth in today’s prologue, just three seconds quicker than Bennett.
The Irishman’s team mate Gediminas Bagdonas was 18th. Other notables well beaten by the flying Waterford man were French rider Bryan Coquard; a track specialist who is heading into the London Olympics as a hot favourite in the omnium event against Ireland’s Martyn Irvine.
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Nicolas Baldo, the winner of the An Post Ras, was 26th in the prologue, nine seconds down on Bennett.
That’s an excellent ride today by Bennett and one that underlines his intent as the domestic season edges towards the National Championships next week.
As we reported a few days ago, the An Post sprinter was fourth in the Herselt Kermesse last weekend in Belgium. His top ten ride today, in a discipline that is not as strong as his sprint speciality, bodes well for the remainder of the season.
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Speaking before today’s prologue, An Post-Sean Kelly manager Kurt Bogaerts praised Bennett’s form and said he was expecting four tough days in France.
“Sam is in good condition and has been riding really well. He was unlucky to miss out on a couple of stage wins at the Rás and put in another solid performance at the Herselt Kermesse so this is positive news for the team.”
“The Boucles de la Mayenne will have a top class field this year and that coupled with the mountainous route will be a good test for the team. We will look to be involved at the front from the start and hopefully we can come away with a stage win.”
Bennett is part of a six-man An Post-Sean Kelly team in the race that also includes Niko Eeckhout, Pieter Ghyllebert, Stijn Ennekens, Gediminas Bagdonas and Mark Christian.
Boucles de la Mayenne (2.2) June 14th – 17th
Prologue 4.5km TT
1) POUX Paul (Saur-Sojasun) 5:49.59
2) SARAMOTINS Aleksejs (Cofidis Le Crédit en Ligne) @2secs
3) BOVENHUIS Jasper (Rabobank Continental) same time
4) LEMOINE Cyril (Saur-Sojasun) same time
5) DUMOULIN Samuel (Cofidis Le Crédit en Ligne) @3secs
6) BOULO Matthieu (Roubaix Lille Métropole) @4secs
7) PICHON Laurent (Bretagne-Schuller) @5secs
8 GUILLEMOIS Romain (Vendée U-Pays de Loire) same time
9) VERRAES Benjamin Jong (Vlaanderen Cycling Team) same time
10) BENNETT Sam (An Post-Sean Kelly) @6secs
11) COQUARD Bryan (Vendée U-Pays de Loire) same time
12) ALBERT Niels (BKCP Powerplus) same time
13) GAUDIN Damien (Europcar) same time
14) GHYSELINCK Jan (Cofidis Le Crédit en Ligne) @8secs
15) SCHMIDT Fabien (Roubaix Lille Métropole) @9secs
16) WALSLEBEN Philipp (BKCP Powerplus) same time
17) LELAY David (Saur-Sojasun) @11ses
18) BAGDONAS Gediminas (An Post-Sean Kelly) same time
19) NAULEAU Bryan (Vendée U-Pays de Loire) same time
20) PETIT Adrien (Cofidis Le Crédit en Ligne) @12secs
21) EECKHOUT Niko (An Post-Sean Kelly) @13secs
38) CHRISTIAN Mark (An Post-Sean Kelly) @19secs
98) GHYLLEBERT Pieter (An Post-Sean Kelly) @34secs
102) ENNEKENS Stijn (An Post-Sean Kelly) @34secs
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