Sam Bennett has once again shown himself to be one of the most bankable sprinters in the pro game with a great win in France (Photo: Bora-Argon 18 & VeloImages)
Sam Bennett has taken his tally of wins this season to five after storming home to claim the bunch sprint that decided Paris-Bourges in France on Thursday.
Bennett comfortably won the UCI 1.1-ranked event after 186km and over 4½ hours in the saddle.
The Irish rider got the better of Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis) and Italian Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek Factory Racing).
Former U23 world champion Arnaud Démare (FDJ.fr) was 4th, with fellow French sprinter Romain Feillu (Bretagne-Séché Environnement) in 5th.
And rounding out the top six on day was a man well known to Irish cycling fans; Gediminas Bagdonas of AG2R La Mondiale.
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The Lithuanian is a former team mate of Bennett’s at An Post-Chainreaction and was a very popular overall winner of the Rás back in 2011.
However, the day belonged to fast man Bennett who is becoming one of the most bankable sprinters in the game.
Bennett's latest win
Underlining his condition throughout the whole season, Bennett opened his account way back in February and is still romping in at the head of pro bunches eight months later.
The Carrick-on-Suir man scored his first victory on February 13th when he took the sixth and final stage of the Tour of Qatar.
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On that occasion he was victorious ahead of Bouhanni and new world champion Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo).
In May, Bennett took the opening stage and the third stage at the Bayern-Rundfahrt (2.HC) in Germany and held the yellow jersey for two stages of the race.
When taking those wins he again beat five-time Grand Tour stage winner last year Bouhanni as well as Paris-Roubaix and Milan-San Remo winner John Degenkolb (Giant-Alpecin).
He then went on to take stage 2 in the 2.HC Arctic Race of Norway on August 14th, besting Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) to the line.
And now the Irish man has taken victory in France today.
Sam Bennett crosses the line for what proved to be a comfortable win in France today.
Thurs, Oct 8th: UCI 1.1 Paris-Bourges (186.2km)
1 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 4:20:57
2 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
3 Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) Trek Factory Racing
4 Arnaud Démare (Fra) FDJ
5 Romain Feillu (Fra) Bretagne-Séché Environnement
6 Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale
7 Daniel McLay (GBr) Bretagne-Séché Environnement
8 Roy Jans (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
9 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
10 Bert Van Lerberghe (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
11 Rudy Barbier (Fra) Roubaix Lille Métropole
12 Tom Devriendt (Bel) Wanty – Groupe Gobert
13 Amaury Capiot (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
14 Dylan Page (Sui) Roth - Skoda
15 David Menut (Fra) Auber 93
16 Alexis Bodiot (Fra) Equipe Cycliste De L’Armée De Terre
17 Michal Kolar (Svk) Tinkoff - Saxo
18 Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Roth - Skoda
19 Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Bretagne-Séché Environnement
20 Mickaël Delage (Fra) FDJ
21 Maxime Renault (Fra) Auber 93
22 Tom Dernies (Bel) Wallonie - Bruxelles
23 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Tinkoff - Saxo
24 Kevin Ista (Bel) Wallonie - Bruxelles
25 Sébastien Turgot (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
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