Big team move a certainty as Sam Bennett pushes Mark Cavendish close in Tour of Britain

The world's fastest man Mark Cavendish takes the final stage of the Tour of Britain today from Ireland's Sam Bennett (Photo: Larry Hickmott - VeloUK.net)

By Gavin McLoughlin

Sam Bennett finished second to Mark Cavendish in a bunch sprint on the final stage of the Tour of Britain today, Sunday.

The winner of stage 5 marked the Manxman very closely in the final couple of kilometres, deftly manoeuvring around his rivals to ensconce himself in Cavendish’s wheel prior to the final dash for glory.

However, Bennett could not match the British champion’s speed and had to settle for his second runner-up spot of this event.

But there is no shame in being second to Cavendish and again the 22-year-old has underlined his potential with the transfer market about to heat up and the Irish fast man now a certainty to transfer into a bigger team.

Today’s initial break came after the first intermediate sprint as Pete Williams (IG-Sigma Sport), Jack Bauer (Garmin-Sharp), Shane Archbold (An Post-Chainreaction), Angel Madrazo (Movistar), Sergio Pardilla (MTN Qhubeka) and Andreas Schillinger (NetApp-Endura) rode clear of the pack.

Bauer and Pardilla were dangerously placed on general classification, so this meant that Bradley Wiggins’ Sky lieutenants were ultra-vigilant.

Bauer began the morning in sixth overall but cheekily managed to get up to fifth today, obtaining enough time bonuses in the intermediate sprints to move ahead of Pardilla.

But the presence of that pair in the group was hindering their companions’ chances of taking the stage, so with four laps to go Schillinger dashed away, quickly to be followed by Archbold.

Archbold lasted out front longer than Schillinger, but still the An Post New Zealander was caught with 22.5 kilometres to go.

And then the IG-Sigma Sport team of Belfast’s Peter Hawkins was prominent, as the Irishman and his teammate tried to deliver their man Pete Williams to a shot at the final intermediate sprint. Williams could have tied Angel Madrazo in the sprints competition but could not get the result he needed.

Now you waited for Bennett to do battle with the quick men, and An Post looked really up for it.

With 2.5 kilometres left they were right to the fore alongside the Cannondale lieutenants of Elia Viviani. A motivated Bennett was jostling with his competitors for the precious spot in Mark Cavendish’s wheel, obtaining it and then momentarily losing it as the line rapidly drew near.

The Irishman took a gamble around the final bend, diving inside his rivals to brilliantly get himself back in the Manxman’s slipstream. Here was a chance for the 22-year-old to test himself in a straight fight with the best in the world.

But ultimately he would finish second-best on the day, as so many of Cavendish’s rivals have done in the course of the British Champion’s brilliant career

@gavmcloughlin