Sam Bennett grimaces and cradles his arm as he finishes the opening stage pushed by the ever-loyal Shane Archbold after a sprint finish crash at the Tour de France (Photo: Sirotti)
Sam Bennett has been taken to hospital for checks after a high-speed crash at the end of stage 1 of the Tour de France.
Ireland’s only other rider in the event – Birmingham-born Dan Martin – had a lucky escape at the end of the 188km stage from Mont Saint Michel to Utah Beach.
The Etixx-QuickStep rider came home in 54th place, some 32 seconds down on stage winner and first yellow jersey of the race Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data).
And when the first set of results was issued, the gaps that appeared in the physical and crash-marred finale were not adjudged to have been caused by the spill on the finishing straight.
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It meant that rather than being written off as far as the general classification was concerned, they were factored into the standings leaving Martin losing valuable time.
Dan Martin finishes, thankfully not having lost time to his rivals outside and inside his own team (Photo: Sirotti)
And with his team mate Julian Alaphilippe finishing 14th on the stage and just 3 seconds down on the winner, Martin had lost time to a man who is an ally and rival in equal measure.
Thankfully the gaps were soon annulled under the 3km rule, which states than any time loss due to mishap in the last 3km of a stage will not count as a time loss in the general standings.
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It means Martin was awarded the same time as Cavendish, though his young team mate’s attentiveness on the stage is a clear signal of his intent and should act as a warning shot for his Irish colleague.
For Bennett, what began as a stage where he might come under the radar and pull a really big result out of the bag ended in him hitting the deck hard.
After falling in the crash on the finishing straight as the sprint was just being unleashed, Bennett struggled back on his bike and would roll over the line with the help of his teams some 2:20 down.
.@Sammmy_Be is on the way to hospital for further examination. we'll keep you updated. #FingersCrossed #TDF2016 #BoraArgon18
— BORA – ARGON 18 (@BoraArgon18) July 2, 2016
The sight of him being able to finish - alongside team mates Shane Archbold and king of the mountains leader Paul Vos - was a comfort to Irish fans.
But soon after the finish Bennett was taken away on a stretcher to hospital.
And at the time of writing the latest update was that his team was awaiting the results of the Irish rider's check-up by medical staff.
Hopefully Bennett gets a clean bill of health tomorrow, when the finale of the 183km stage from Saint Lo to Cherbourg can suit Martin as it kicks up repeatedly in the last couple of kilometres.
We'll bring you definitive news of Bennett's condition when we have it; fingers crossed all is OK.
Mont-Saint-Michel - Utah Beach (188km)
1 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data 4:14:05
2 Marcel Kittel (Ger) Etixx - Quick-Step
3 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team
4 André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal
5 Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
6 Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
7 Bryan Coquard (Fra) Direct Energie
8 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha
9 Daniel Mclay (GBr) Fortuneo - Vital Concept
10 Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto Soudal 0:00:03
10 Sondre Holst Enger (Nor) IAM Cycling
12 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
13 Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin
14 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx - Quick-Step
15 John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin
54 Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:00:32
182 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 0:02:20
General Classification
1 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension Data 4:13:55
2 Marcel Kittel (Ger) Etixx - Quick-Step 0:00:04
3 Peter Sagan (Svk) Tinkoff Team 0:00:06
4 André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal 0:00:10
5 Edward Theuns (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
6 Christophe Laporte (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
7 Bryan Coquard (Fra) Direct Energie
8 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha
9 Daniel Mclay (GBr) Fortuneo - Vital Concept
10 Greg Henderson (NZl) Lotto Soudal
11 Sondre Holst Enger (Nor) IAM Cycling
12 Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo
13 Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-Alpecin
14 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx - Quick-Step
15 John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin
54 Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx - Quick-Step
172 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Argon 18 all same time
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