Sam Bennett with his head down and sprinting flat out for the finish line at the end of a challenging stage in the Volta a Catalunya.
Sam Bennett sprints to 3rd place at Volta a Catalunya
Irish sprinter Sam Bennett won the bunch sprint on a lumpy day at Volta Catalunya today. Unfortunately the sprint was only for third place.
Maximilian Schachman (QuickStep) won the day; easily taking the two-up sprint for victory from Diego Rubio.
They had gone clear in an apparently doomed two-man escape. However, when the crosswind turned to a tailwind the reduced peloton could not get them back.
Arguing in the bunch about who should do the chasing played into the hands of the escapees.
The remains of the peloton was within 30 seconds of the two leaders with 5km to go. However, the gap did not get much closer and was still 18 seconds on the line.
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Rubio looked like he was riding for the runner-up slot. And in the end Schachman easily got the better of his rival on the line.
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Just after them Sam Bennett (Bora-hansgrohe) demolished the sprint for 3rd place. Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Merida), who thought he had won yesterday but had not, was 4th on the stage.
And rounding out the top five came Italian Roberto Ferrari (UAE Team Emirates).
While Bennett will be frustrated at not winning, it was a very good ride by him on a cold day and over an undulating course.
The stage was shortened due to snow and featured just one cat 2 climb rather than the planned three. It was also cut from 194km to 117km.
Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) leads the race with one stage remaining. He has 16 seconds over Egan Bernal (Team Sky). The race leader’s team mate Nairo Quintana is 3rd at 48 seconds.
Tomorrow’s final stage in Barcelona takes in a circuit with a climb each time. And 21-year-old Bernal will be expected to attack.
More to follow.
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