Irish cyclist Sam Bennett has gotten the verdict in this blanket sprint finish at the end of the Sparkassen Munsterland Giro. He beat most of the other major names in world sprinting.
Sam Bennett wins Sparkassen Munsterland Giro
Irish sprint star Sam Bennett has beaten most of the other fastest men in the world to claim victory in Sparkassen Munsterland Giro today.
He got the verdict in an exciting blanket finish between himself Phil Bauhaus (Sunweb), Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal), and Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors).
Dylan Groenewegen (LottoNL-Jumbo), who won the final Tour de France stage on the Champs-Élysées, was 5th just behind the top four.
“It's an amazing feeling to take the win, especially after this strong startlist here today," Sam Bennet said after taking his sixth victory of the year.
"It was so close but I am so happy. And want to thank my whole team for their great work today."
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The 198km race concluded with five laps of a circuit in Münster and always looked like it would come down to a bunch sprint.
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A four-man escape went clear and gained three minutes. It was comprised of Tony Martin (Katusha-Alpecin), Luca Henn (Lotto-Kern Haus), Etienne Van Empel (Roompot), and Carl Soballa (LKT-Brandenburg).
However, while the breakaway contained four very strong riders with serious firepower it always looked doomed to fail.
And with 35km remaining the gap was rapidly coming back to one minute before Martin and Soballa going clear as a duo.
However, all their move did was delay the inevitable catch. And when they were scooped up 10km later and the race entered the circuits the sprinters’ teams moved to the fore.
Sam Bennett (Bora-hansgrohe) was up against it given the class he was competing with. But he has plenty of class himself and made it count, lunging hard for the line after a great sprint and collecting another victory.
Unfortunately the only other Irish rider in the race, Stephen Clancy of Novo Nordisk, was a non-finisher after a crash.
Tues, Oct 3: Sparkassen Munsterland Giro
1 Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe 4:35:27
2 Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Team Sunweb
3 André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Soudal
4 Marcel Kittel (Ger) Quick-Step Floors
5 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo
6 Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe
7 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha-Alpecin 0:00:01
8 Roy Jans (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
9 Andre Looij (Ned) Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij
10 Nicola Toffali (Ita) 0711 Cycling
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