Sam Bennett on the front at Wanzele-Lede Pro Kermesse today, which featured eight Irish riders
Sam Bennett (An Post-Chainreaction) has recorded his second top ten ride of the season, taking 6th in the 165km Wanzele-Lede pro kermesse in Belgium today after bagging fourth in a kermesse in Flanders at the weekend.
Today’s showdown featured no fewer than eight Irish riders, a sign of the strength in depth that has begun to emerge within the Irish scene in the past couple of seasons. Bennett lined out with his team mates Jack Wilson, Ronan McLaughlin and Sean Downey.
Also present were the IG Sigma Sport Irish duo of Peter Hawkins and Ryan Mullen, as well as Conor Dunne (VL Technics-Abutriek) and Eoin McCarthy (Terra Footwear-Bicycle Line).
McCarthy was riding his first major race with his new team after moving permanently to Belgium and put in a good ride to finish in the peloton on a day when a large number of riders were non finishers.
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Indeed, all of the Irish riders came home in that bunch, some nine seconds down on race winner Sébastian Delfosse (Crelan-Euphony). He won by one second from Alphonse Vermote, one of An Post-Chainreaction’s winter signings.
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Bennett was fourth in the bunch sprint to the line to take 6th place. He said afterwards that McLaughlin and Downey had put in very strong work to lead him out.
Dunne also enjoyed a very good race, being aggressive in the early stages and going clear at the 80km mark. He spent around 70km in that escape but was overhauled well inside the last 10km.
Wanzele-Lede Pro Kermesse – 165km
1 DELFOSSE Sébastien (CRELAN-EUPHONY) 3H41´15"
2 VERMOTE Alphonse AN POST - CHAINREACTION @1 second
3 DEHAES Kenny LOTTO-BELISOL @9 seconds
4 DUPONT Timothy (VENTILAIR - STERIA)
5 VAN STAEYEN Michaël (TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN)
6 BENNETT Sam (AN POST - CHAINREACTION)
7 HOVELIJNCK Kurt (CRELAN-EUPHONY)
8 JUODVALKIS Egidijus (CRELAN - EUPHONY)
9 FLAHAUT Denis (COLBA - SUPERANO HAM)
10 JANS Roy (ACCENT.JOBS-WANTY)
26 DOWNEY Sean (AN POST – CHAINREACTION)
44 WILSON Jack (AN POST – CHAINREACTION)
53 MC CARTHY Eoin (TERRA FOOTWEAR - BICYCLE LINE )
67 MULLEN Ryan (TEAM IG - SIGMA SPORT)
73 MC LAUGHLIN Ronan (AN POST – CHAINREACTION)
117 HAWKINS Peter (TEAM IG - SIGMA SPORT)
161 DUNNE Conor (VL TECHNICS – ABUTRIEK) all same time
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