An Post’s Sam Bennett muscles into big company at Tour of Britain sprint finish

Ronan McLaughlin leads the bunch up the first KOH on the Tour of Britain stage 2 today

Ronan McLaughlin leads the bunch up the first KOH on the Tour of Britain stage 2 today

 

Ireland’s Sam Bennett has added to his good end of season run against some of the fastest men in the pro peloton, taking 9th in the bunch sprint that settled the second stage of the Tour of Britain today.

Backed by a very impressive team effort, Bennett showed his renowned gallop to muscle into the top ten on the stage that included ProTour big names like stage winner Leigh Howard (Orica-GreenEDGE) and world champion Mark Cavendish (Team Sky).

When the day’s early breakaway was reeled in with around 20km remaining, it was Team Sky and Endura Racing who took it upon themselves to keep the pace high at the front to try and set it up for their sprinters, Cavendish and Russell Downing respectively.

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However, the An Post-Sean Kelly team had taken a stage win here last year with Gediminas Bagdonas and today were determined to try and repeat that. They appeared at the head of the field with 12km remaining and formed their own lead-out train ahead of Sky’s.

With Bagdonas sitting third in line and Bennett at the back of the green train, it was apparent that the Irishman was the protected sprinter for the day.

Having established themselves at the head of the field, the Irish-Belgian team were pushed out a little by an injection of pace again by Team Sky, with the trains from both teams for a while time trialling side by side.

The green jerseys were evident at the head of affairs as the race hurtled into the finish, and with 8km to go it was Node4-Giordana sprinter Marcin Bialoblocki who decided to go for a lone flyer.

He built up more of a lead than one might have expected with the sprinters’ teams swarming at the front of the chasing peloton. But with Sky determined to reel him in, he was recaptured as the road kicked up slightly with just 3km remaining to the stage finish in Knowsley.

There was some counter attacking but none of that stuck and the bunch passed under the 1km to go banner in tact and led by Team Sky, who were apparently trying to set up Cavendish for the sprint win after the disappointment of his crash on yesterday’s opening stage.

Bradley Wiggins did a massive turn before yellow jersey Luke Rowe took over as final lead out man for Cavendish. However, on the last bend the Manxman appeared to deliberately let Rowe’s wheel go to give him enough of a gap to kick on and win the stage and strengthen his hold on the yellow jersey.

But a couple of riders just behind Cavendish whipped around him immediately, with Leigh Howard pressing on for the win and in the end comfortably holding off Cavendish in second.

Boy Van Poppel (Unitedhealthcare) was third and he takes over the race leadership from Rowe.

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Despite the An Post-Sean Kelly team’s very good work to position Bennett a little further out the road, the former U23 national champion appeared to start the sprint very far back.

Indeed, a group of eight effectively pulled a little bit clear of the rest of the bunch in the sprint, with Bennett coming through one second back in 9th place as best of the rest.

It was a good ride for him and bodes well for the rest of the week and for the U23 Road Race World Championships in Valkenburg, Holland, the weekend after next. His top ten today also follows the fifth place by Ireland’s Peter Hawkins (IG Sigma Sport) on yesterday’s opener. Hawkins was also in the thick of it again today, coming home just a few places behind Bennett in 13th place.

Ireland’s other rider in the race, Ronan McLaughlin had helped to position Bennett for the sprint and lost a little bit of time at the finish as the bunch split slightly in that closing gallop after a long and wet day.

 

Stage Two, Nottingham to Knowsley, 180.7km

Position Name Team Time
1 Leigh Howard Orica - GreenEDGE 4h 31' 9''
2 Mark Cavendish Sky Procycling st
3 Boy Van Poppel UnitedHealthcare st
4 Steele Von Hoff Garmin – Sharp st
5 Russell Downing Endura Racing st
6 Sep Vanmarcke Garmin – Sharp st
7 Wesley Kreder Vacansoleil - DCM st
8 Nathan Haas Garmin – Sharp st
9 Sam Bennett An Post Sean Kelly at 0' 1''
10 Luke Rowe Sky Procycling st
11 Graham Briggs Raleigh – GAC st
12 Rony Martias Saur Sojasun st
13 Peter Hawkins IG - Sigma Sport st
14 Bernard Sulzberger Raleigh – GAC st
15 Richard Lang Rapha Condor st
16 Cesare Benedetti Team NetApp st
17 Chris Opie UK Youth Cycling st
18 Niels Wytinck An Post Sean Kelly st
19 Yanto Barker UK Youth Cycling st
20 Niklas Gustavsson UK Youth Cycling st
21 Leopold Koenig Team NetApp st
22 Robert Förster UnitedHealthcare st
23 Simon Yates Great Britain st
24 Christian Knees Sky Procycling st
25 Ricardo Garcia Euskaltel Euskadi st
26 Zak Dempster Endura Racing st
27 David McGowan UK Youth Cycling st
28 Samuel Sanchez Euskaltel Euskadi st
29 Jérémie Galland Saur Sojasun st
30 Fabio Sabatini Liquigas - Cannondale st
31 Rico Rogers Node 4 - Giordana st
32 Paolo Longo Borghini Liquigas - Cannondale st
33 Jonathan Tiernan-Locke Endura Racing st
34 Bradley Wiggins Sky Procycling st
35 Damiano Caruso Liquigas - Cannondale st
36 Ben Grenda Rapha Condor st
37 Evan Oliphant Raleigh – GAC st
38 Jonathan McEvoy Endura Racing st
39 Liam Holohan Raleigh – GAC st
40 Daniel Lloyd IG - Sigma Sport st
41 Pieter Ghyllebert An Post Sean Kelly st
42 Michael Northey Node 4 - Giordana st
43 Wouter Sybrandy IG - Sigma Sport st
44 Owain Doull Great Britain st
45 Kai Reus UnitedHealthcare st
46 Brett Lancaster Orica - GreenEDGE st
47 Paul Voss Endura Racing st
48 Christopher Jones UnitedHealthcare st
49 Mathew Cronshaw Node 4 - Giordana st
50 Jonny Clarke UnitedHealthcare st
51 Yannick Talabardon Saur Sojasun st
52 Pierre Cazaux Euskaltel Euskadi st
53 Ivan Basso Liquigas - Cannondale st
54 Mark McNally An Post Sean Kelly st
55 Jan Barta Team NetApp st
56 Josh Edmondson Great Britain st
57 Jacek Morajko Vacansoleil - DCM st
58 Jerome Coppel Saur Sojasun st
59 David Le Lay Saur Sojasun st
60 Bartosz Huzarski Team NetApp at 0' 12''
61 David Clarke Node 4 - Giordana at 0' 15''
62 Tom Moses Great Britain at 0' 17''
63 Alistair Slater Great Britain st
64 Matthias Krizek Liquigas - Cannondale st
65 Adrian Saez de Arregui Euskaltel Euskadi st
66 Christopher Jennings Rapha Condor st
67 Dan Craven IG - Sigma Sport st
68 Gediminas Bagdonas An Post Sean Kelly st
69 Simon Richardson IG - Sigma Sport st
70 George Atkins Great Britain st
71 Ronan Mclaughlin An Post Sean Kelly st
72 Fabrice Jeandesboz Saur Sojasun st
73 Kristian House Rapha Condor st
74 Marcin Bialoblocki Node 4 - Giordana st
75 Christofer Stevenson UK Youth Cycling st
76 Magnus Backstedt UK Youth Cycling st
77 Tom Last IG - Sigma Sport at 0' 31''
78 Daniel Schorn Team NetApp at 0' 34''
79 Marco Enfatto Liquigas - Cannondale at 0' 45''
80 Jacob Rathe Garmin – Sharp at 0' 56''
81 Matteo Carrara Vacansoleil - DCM st
82 Barry Markus Vacansoleil - DCM at 0' 58''
83 Lachlan Morton Garmin – Sharp st
84 Marc De Maar UnitedHealthcare st
85 Peter Williams Node 4 - Giordana at 1' 9''
86 Richard Handley Rapha Condor st
87 Bernhard Eisel Sky Procycling at 1' 25''
88 Aidis Kruopis Orica - GreenEDGE at 1' 32''
89 Jack Bobridge Orica - GreenEDGE st
90 Michael Hepburn Orica - GreenEDGE st
91 Blaz Jarc Team NetApp st
92 Jeremy Hunt Sky Procycling st
93 Pablo Urtasun Euskaltel Euskadi at 2' 45''
94 Michael Cuming Rapha Condor at 0' 1''
95 Ian Bibby Endura Racing at 3' 47''
96 Russell Hampton Raleigh – GAC at 3' 50''

Rouleur Combativity Award: Jack Bobridge, Orica GreenEDGE

 

IG Gold Jersey, General Classification, following Stage Two

Position Name Team Time
1 Boy Van Poppel UnitedHealthcare 9h 22' 4''
2 Leigh Howard Orica - GreenEDGE st
3 Luke Rowe Sky Procycling at 0' 1''
4 Rony Martias Saur Sojasun at 0' 4''
5 Mark Cavendish Sky Procycling st
6 Russell Downing Endura Racing at 0' 6''
7 Steele Von Hoff Garmin – Sharp at 0' 10''
8 Sep Vanmarcke Garmin – Sharp st
9 Nathan Haas Garmin – Sharp st
10 Peter Hawkins IG - Sigma Sport at 0' 11''
11 Sam Bennett An Post Sean Kelly st
12 Chris Opie UK Youth Cycling st
13 Jérémie Galland Saur Sojasun st
14 Richard Lang Rapha Condor st
15 Yanto Barker UK Youth Cycling st
16 Christian Knees Sky Procycling st
17 Niklas Gustavsson UK Youth Cycling st
18 Paolo Longo Borghini Liquigas - Cannondale st
19 Jonathan Tiernan-Locke Endura Racing st
20 Ben Grenda Rapha Condor st
21 Fabio Sabatini Liquigas - Cannondale st
22 Daniel Lloyd IG - Sigma Sport st
23 Bradley Wiggins Sky Procycling st
24 Ivan Basso Liquigas - Cannondale st
25 Jerome Coppel Saur Sojasun st
26 Paul Voss Endura Racing st
27 Damiano Caruso Liquigas - Cannondale st
28 Brett Lancaster Orica - GreenEDGE st
29 Magnus Backstedt UK Youth Cycling at 0' 27''
30 Gediminas Bagdonas An Post Sean Kelly st
31 Daniel Schorn Team NetApp at 0' 44''
32 Marco Enfatto Liquigas - Cannondale at 0' 55''
33 Barry Markus Vacansoleil - DCM at 1' 8''
34 Bernhard Eisel Sky Procycling at 1' 35''
35 Zak Dempster Endura Racing at 1' 36''
36 Christopher Jones UnitedHealthcare st
37 Leopold Koenig Team NetApp at 1' 40''
38 Robert Förster UnitedHealthcare st
39 David Le Lay Saur Sojasun at 1' 41''
40 Blaz Jarc Team NetApp at 1' 42''
41 Graham Briggs Raleigh - GAC at 1' 43''
42 Bernard Sulzberger Raleigh - GAC st
43 Jacek Morajko Vacansoleil - DCM st
44 Jan Barta Team NetApp st
45 Samuel Sanchez Euskaltel Euskadi at 1' 45''
46 Evan Oliphant Raleigh - GAC st
47 Kai Reus UnitedHealthcare st
48 Wouter Sybrandy IG - Sigma Sport st
49 Yannick Talabardon Saur Sojasun st
50 Josh Edmondson Great Britain st
51 Cesare Benedetti Team NetApp at 1' 47''
52 Simon Yates Great Britain st
53 Pierre Cazaux Euskaltel Euskadi st
54 Michael Cuming Rapha Condor st
55 Bartosz Huzarski Team NetApp at 1' 54''
56 David Clarke Node 4 - Giordana at 1' 55''
57 Ronan Mclaughlin An Post Sean Kelly at 1' 56''
58 Fabrice Jeandesboz Saur Sojasun at 1' 59''
59 Christofer Stevenson UK Youth Cycling st
60 Matthias Krizek Liquigas - Cannondale st
61 Adrian Saez de Arregui Euskaltel Euskadi at 2' 1''
62 Dan Craven IG - Sigma Sport st
63 Marcin Bialoblocki Node 4 - Giordana at 2' 3''
64 Matteo Carrara Vacansoleil - DCM at 2' 38''
65 Richard Handley Rapha Condor at 2' 49''
66 Simon Richardson IG - Sigma Sport at 4' 8''
67 Kristian House Rapha Condor at 4' 28''
68 Jonathan McEvoy Endura Racing at 4' 32''
69 Marc De Maar UnitedHealthcare at 5' 18''
70 Jeremy Hunt Sky Procycling at 6' 3''
71 Jonny Clarke UnitedHealthcare at 7' 30''
72 Niels Wytinck An Post Sean Kelly at 7' 31''
73 Wesley Kreder Vacansoleil - DCM at 7' 32''
74 Rico Rogers Node 4 - Giordana at 7' 33''
75 Mathew Cronshaw Node 4 - Giordana st
76 David McGowan UK Youth Cycling st
77 Pieter Ghyllebert An Post Sean Kelly st
78 Liam Holohan Raleigh - GAC st
79 Michael Northey Node 4 - Giordana st
80 Owain Doull Great Britain st
81 Mark McNally An Post Sean Kelly st
82 Christopher Jennings Rapha Condor at 7' 49''
83 Tom Moses Great Britain st
84 Alistair Slater Great Britain st
85 George Atkins Great Britain st
86 Tom Last IG - Sigma Sport at 8' 3''
87 Ian Bibby Endura Racing at 8' 19''
88 Jacob Rathe Garmin - Sharp at 8' 28''
89 Lachlan Morton Garmin - Sharp at 8' 30''
90 Peter Williams Node 4 - Giordana at 8' 32''
91 Ricardo Garcia Euskaltel Euskadi at 8' 56''
92 Jack Bobridge Orica - GreenEDGE at 9' 2''
93 Aidis Kruopis Orica - GreenEDGE at 9' 4''
94 Michael Hepburn Orica - GreenEDGE st
95 Pablo Urtasun Euskaltel Euskadi at 10' 16''
96 Russell Hampton Raleigh - GAC at 11' 22''

 

Chain Reaction Cycles Points Classification, following Stage Two

1) Boy Van Poppel, NED, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling, 27pts
2) Russell Downing, GBR, Endura Racing, 24pts
3) Luke Rowe, GBR, Team Sky, 21pts
4) Leigh Howard, AUS, Orica GreenEDGE, 15pts
5) Rony Martias, FRA, Saur Sojasun, 15pts

 

SKODA King of the Mountains Classification, following Stage Two

1) Pablo Urtasun, SPA, Euskaltel - Euskadi, 30pts
2) Russell Hampton, GBR, Team Raleigh - GAC, 26pts
3) Richard Handley, GBR, Rapha Condor, 25pts
4) Kristian House, GBR, Rapha Condor, 22pts
5) Jack Bobridge, AUS, Orica GreenEDGE, 21pts

Yodel Sprints Classification, following Stage Two

1) Peter Williams, GBR, Node4 - Giordana Racing, 15pts
2) Rony Martias, FRA, Saur Sojasun, 12pts
3) Kristian House, GBR, Rapha Condor, 9pts
4) Jonny Clarke, AUS, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling, 7pts
5) Matthias Krizek, AUT, Liquigas - Cannondale, 7pts

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