No photo-finish needed here: Sam Bennett storms in to win stage 2 of the Arctic Race of Norway while leading the young riders' classification.
Having finished 3rd on the opening stage yesterday, Irish rider Sam Bennett has today stormed home to win stage 2 of the Arctic Race of Norway.
The Bora-Argon 18 man was quickest in the sprint to the line that decided the 155km trek from Evenskjer to Setermoen.
Putting in a stunning turn of speed in the last 100 metres, he took victory from Frederico Zurlo of Unitedhealthcare and yesterday’s winner and home favourite Alexander Kristoff (Katusha).
Kristoff maintains his overall lead in the race with Bennett still leading the young riders' classification.
The Irish speedster took that jersey thanks to his 3rd place in the sprint for victory on stage 1.
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Today's result, coupled with his podium finish yesterday, puts to bed any concern that his ride in the Tour de France last month may take some time to recover from.
Bennett was forced to withdraw on stage 17 and in an interview with stickybottle on the day outlined just how shattered he had become on the race.
But that low point for the Carrick-on-Suir man now looks like as distant memory following his rides on the opening two stages of his first race back.
How it unfolded
The stage came down to a sprint after the early breakaway was caught despite building a lead that maxed out at three minutes.
That move featured Jean-Marc Bideau (Bretagne-Séché Environnement), Carl Maxat Ayazbayev (Astana), Carl Fredrik Hagen (Sparebanken Sor), Torstein Traeen (Ringeriks – Kraft), Krister Hagen (Team Coop - OsterHus) and Sindre Eid Hermansen (FixIT.no).
Bennett’s team obviously had great confidence in their Irish sprinter as it was active in the chase, looking to close down the escape and bring the stage down to a bunch sprint.
Also featuring in the chase were Kristoff’s Katusha and IAM Cycling.
The views from the air were pretty stunning today, as usual for racing in Norway.
While the riders had to negotiate a number of climbs midway through the stage, those ascents did nothing to break up the peloton in any significant way.
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Up front, as the gap was tumbling between the breakaway and the main field, Jean-Marc Bideau (Bretagne-Séché Environnement) attacked his fellow escapees.
While he managed to get clear alone, the men he had attacked were caught by the main field.
And the lone leader was finally reabsorbed with 16km remaining, paving the way for the bunch sprint.
As well as holding the young rider classification lead, Bennett has now moved up to 2nd overall and is just one second by leader Kristoff.
Tomorrow’s stage 3 is 183km from Finnsnes to Målselv and includes three climbs.
The first is 3.9km in length and is crested after 40km of racing, with gradients of seven per cent.
The second climb is 1.4 km long and is topped with 79.5km of racing done, with gradients of just below 7 per cent.
The final ascent is at the finish and will definitely split the field and put real shape on the general classification.
It is 3.7km in length and is crested at the finish line, with gradients of just under eight per cent.
Stage 2: Evenskjer to Setermoen (155km)
1 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 3:41:05
2 Federico Zurlo (Ita) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling
3 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha
4 Michal Kolár (Svk) Tinkoff-Saxo
5 Daniel Mclay (GBr) Bretagne-Séché Environnement
6 Floris Gerts (Ned) BMC Racing Team
7 Arman Kamyshev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
8 Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
9 Sondre Holst Enger (Nor) IAM Cycling
10 Oscar Landa (Nor) Team Coop-Oster Hus
General Classification
1 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha 8:39:26
2 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 0:00:01
3 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) MTN - Qhubeka 0:00:06
4 Amaury Capiot (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise 0:00:13
5 Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:00:15
6 Niccolo Bonifazio (Ita) Lampre-Merida
7 Sondre Holst Enger (Nor) IAM Cycling
8 Floris Gerts (Ned) BMC Racing Team
9 Anthony Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
10 Jarl Salomein (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
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