Sam Bennett (Bora-hansgrohe) has made a dream start to his 2023 season, winning the opening stage of Vuelta a San Juan Internacional (2.Pro) in a big bunch sprint into San Juan.
Having spoken just yesterday about hoping to win early to get his morale going and take the pressure off the sprint group in the team, Bennett just did that when he proved best in the kick to the line after 143.9km of racing. The Carrick-on-Suir man, who came back strongly late last season with two victories in La Vuelta, looks like he is back in mint condition, with a win at the first time of asking.
He was led out expertly by team mate Danny van Poppel and while Fabio Jakobsen (Soudal-QuickStep) was expected to be Bennett's biggest challenger, he did not figure at all in the final sprint after a racing incident with just over 1km to go. Instead, Jakobsen's lead-out man Michael Mørkøv took 2nd place, with Giacomo Nizzolo (Israel-Premier Tech) in 3rd.
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European champion Jakobsen got caught out when the bunch split in two - one half on each side of the road - as they entered the last kilometre. While Bennett, and his Bora-hansgrohe team mates, were on the right hand side, and went under the 1km to go banner, Jakobsen was on the left. Hem and the riders he was with, slipped back down the field, losing position at a vital moment.
However, up front Bennett, Ryan Mullen and Van Poppel made for a brilliant unit; the lead-out absolute perfection and Bennett showing the kick that has delivered him to so many wins in his career to take yet another, and the first leader's jersey of the race.
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Earlier in the stage a breakaway forged clear comprised of Daniel Juárez (Agrupación Virgen de Fatima-San Juan Biker Motos), Francisco Kotsakis (Chile), Christofer Jurado (Panama), Leonardo Cobarrubia (SEP San Juan), Bolivar Espinoza (Panama), Nahuel Soares (Uruguay), Manuel Tarozzi (Green Project-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè), Darío Álvarez (Chimbas Te Quiero), Leandro Velardez (Pocito) and Nahuel Hernandez (Uruguay).
However, with Bora-hansgrohe and Soudal-QuickStep working on the front, the breakaway's chances looked doomed. Inside the final 50km, just two riders remained at the head of the race, Tarozzi and Velardez, after the breakaway had enjoyed a maximum lead of three minutes. However, the last of the escapees were brought back with 23km to go, paving the way for a bunch sprint.
More to come.
