Bennett takes top 10, rues bad timing: “I couldn't go any more”
Bennett has proven a real hit in France this week after his stunning stage three victory on Tuesday. However, on the last day for the sprinters this afternoon before the race heads for the high mountains the Irishman had no answer for Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal) and a host of others he beat two days ago.
By Brian Canty
Sam Bennett has taken 10th place on today’s fifth stage of Paris-Nice, the Irishman unable to emulate Tuesday’s heroic effort where he finished top of the podium at the end of the day.
Today was another afternoon for the sprinters before the race heads for more mountainous terrain tomorrow and into the weekend and Bennett was among the hottest of pre-race favourites starting in Quincié.
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However, a massive crash with 20 of the 200 kilometres remaining disrupted his run-in to the finish and in the end he simply had no answer to German powerhouse Andre Greipel who claimed just his second ever victory in the event.
“I felt good again today, but my timing was not perfect,” said Bennett.
“I was not right on Patrick (Konrad’s) bike and was already in the wind at the last small rise to the line.
“When the others then accelerated, I could not go any more,” he added.
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Greipel used all his experience to lock onto the wheel of former race leader Arnaud Demare (FDJ) approaching the line before accelerating past him and taking the win with more than a bike length to spare.
Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo) ran Demare close but it was the Frenchman who was awarded second in the photo finish.
Elsewhere from an Irish perspective, Dan Martin stayed in touch for the overall with an assured display, crossing the line in the main bunch in the same time as the stage winner, thus ensuring he lost no time to those around him in the race for the yellow jersey.
His teammate Julian Alaphilippe leads the way with three stages remaining, 33 seconds clear of fellow Frenchman Tony Gallopin (Lotto Soudal) with Gorka Izagirre (Movistar) a further 14 seconds back and Martin at 1:20.
Tomorrow’s stage takes the riders into the high mountains for the first of three climbing days, the first of which is a 193-kilometre trek from Aubagne to Fayence over six categorised climbs.
There’s a category one ramp inside 15 kilometres of the start which should break up the race a little but it’s another category one summit with 20 kilometres to go that will do most damage.
And as it finishes atop a steep 250-metre category two ramp it could be a stage for Martin to challenge for as well as clawing back some of the time needed to get on the podium.
Stage 5: Quincie-en-Beaujolais to Bourg de Péage (199.8k)
1 Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) 4:43:35
2 Arnaud Demare (FDJ) @s/t
3 Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo) @s/t
4 Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) @s/t
5 John Degenkolb (Trek Segafredo) @s/t
6 Magnus Cort Nielsen (Orica Scott) @s/t
7 Marcel Kittel (Quick STep Floors) @s/t
8 Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie) @s/t
9 Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida) @s/t
10 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe @s/t
48 Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors @s/t
67 Nicolas Roche (Irl) BMC Racing Team @s/t
133 Philip Deignan (Irl) Team Sky 0:00:29
General Classification
1 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Quick-Step Floors 17:20:202
2 Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto Soudal 0:00:33
3 Gorka Izagirre (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:47
4 Sergio Henao (Col) Team Sky 0:01:05
5 Daniel Martin (Irl) Quick-Step Floors 0:01:20
6 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Quick-Step Floors 0:01:24
7 Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin 0:01:28
8 Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ 0:01:35
9 Alberto Contador (Spa) Trek-Segafredo 0:01:31
10 Rudy Molard (Fra) FDJ 0:01:32
26 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:06:19
45 Nicolas Roche (Irl) BMC Racing Team 0:18:14
122 Philip Deignan (Irl) Team Sky 0:35:51
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