Sam Bennett may have been in riding in a support role today and not leading his team as he has done of late, but that didn't stop him putting his full effort into finishing Paris-Roubaix. Seen here checking out sections of pavé before today's race.
It’s been an eventful day for NetApp Endura’s Sam Bennett.
The 23-year-old Carrick-On-Suir sprinter got his first taste of the cobbles of the Arenberg Forest, suffered his first crash as a professional and finished his first Paris-Roubaix.
“I was near the front, if not at the front, on every section of cobbles until the section before the forest, then I crashed into a field,” said Bennett afterwards.
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“By time I got back to my bike and got my handlebars straight again, the bunch were gone by. With the forest coming, the race was well on and I couldn't get back.”
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Bennett rode through the Forest of Arenberg as hard as possible in an effort to regain contact with the quickly disintegrating peloton but found his way blocked with fallen riders, team cars and riders with mechanical issues sorted.
“The atmosphere was great in the forest, but I was screaming and hitting cars to get them to move! With all the team cars stopping in front of me on the cobbles, the race was gone.”
Bennett continued on to finish his first Paris-Roubaix however, 27 minutes down on the winner. Coming home in a group of 21 riders, he crossed the line in 134th place and notched up some more valuable big race experience.
“It was a long day out the back but at least I got to do my lap on the velodrome. It was a great experience. If I could do it again tomorrow I would!”
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