Sam Bennett has put in his first kick to win a bunch sprint this season but was denied the stage victory in France
Sam Bennett (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) may not have won the stage at Région Pays de la Loire Tour (2.1) today but the Irish rider managed to win the bunch sprint just behind the winner, something he had yet to do this season.
The result is nothing of note in the context of Bennett's palmares, but it is the first flash we have seen this year of the finish powering he has built his career on.
And now the Carrick-on-Suir man and his team will be hoping today's gallop, though it was not for the main prize on offer, can the start of a better run for him.
Advertisement
Related News
Bennett led in the bunch on stage 2 today, after 162km of racing from Châteaubriant to Saumur, to take 2nd place behind stage winner Ewen Costiou (Arkéa-B&B Hotels).
The second-year World Tour rider, who turned 21-years-old at the end of last year, put in a brilliant late attack to hold the bunch off through the final kilometre and win by eight seconds.
Bennett was next, winning the bunch sprint from Emilien Jeannière (TotalEnergies), Lukas Nerurkar (EF Education-EasyPost) and Alberto Dainese (Tudor Pro Cycling Team).
Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) was 9th on the stage, with his Irish team mate Darren Rafferty 29th. Bennett now moves up to 5th overall, 12 seconds behind new race leader Costiou, with Healy and Rafferty in 24th and 29th overall, both at 18 seconds.
