Sam Bennett has overcome a stomach bug to push Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) and Ben Swift (Team Sky) very close in Spain today.
Sam Bennett has underlined his early season form in Spain today when he sprinted to 4th place in the bunch gallop that settled the Trofeo Playa de Palma on the island of Mallorca.
The Irishman, riding for Bora-Argon 18, came home just head of Olympic omnium champion Bryan Coquard (Europcar).
It was a strong result for the Carrick rider, especially because he has been suffering from a stomach bug.
The race was won by Matteo Pelucchi of IAM Cycling. Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) was 2nd, with Team Sky's Ben Swift in 3rd place just ahead of Bennett.
Pelucchi also took the Trofeo Santanyi-Ses Salines-Campos on Thursday.
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That race was also on the island of Mallorca and like all four one-day races there since last Thursday, it was part of the Mallorca Challenge series.
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Bennett was 10th on Thursday but suffered two blow-outs; one with 10km remaining and one in the last 500 metres.
So today's ride is a much stronger indication of where his sprint is at in these early days of the new campaign.
Victory was today decided in a group sprint after a three-man move that gained close to five minutes was caught with around 8km, of 168km, remaining to the finish.
Trofeo Playa de Palma (UCI 1.1)
Sunday, February 1st - Mallorca
1 Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) IAM Cycling 4:06:17
2 André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal
3 Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky
4 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18
5 Bryan Coquard (Fra) Team Europcar
6 Raymond Kreder (Ned) Team Roompot
7 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek Factory Racing
8 Russell Downing (GBr) Cult Energy Pro Cycling
9 Dylan Page (Swi) Roth Skoda
10 Kristian Sbaragli (Ita) MTN - Qhubeka
11 Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
12 Francesco Lasca (Ita) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
13 Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Movistar Team
14 Grzegorz Stepniak (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
15 Ruben Zepuntke (Ger) Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling Team
16 Nacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
17 Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Soudal
18 Henrik Evensen (Nor) Team Froy Oslo @5seconds
19 Luis Mas (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
20 Sondre Holst Enger (Nor) IAM Cycling
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