Before the start of stage 6 in Abbeville, Tour de France neophyte Sam Bennett (Bora-Argon 18) was already wondering quite how much longer his debut might last. Laid low by illness in June, the Irishman had to race against time just to earn selection and after more than a month without competitive action in the build-up, it was hardly surprising that the transition to life on the Tour proved anything but gentle.
“I don’t feel so good and I think it’s too early to be feeling not so good,” Bennett told Cyclingnews that morning, downing a coffee as he waited to be called to the start line. “It looks so much easier on TV. The preparation wasn’t ideal and I think it shows. And then when the form isn’t good, you just can’t fight for position so I’m fighting a losing battle really.”
Even the most casual viewer of the Tour has an appreciation of the hardships endured by each of its participants, but a sprinter’s pride is an intractable thing. “It’s on TV worldwide and you want to perform but you’re one of the guys they show when they switch to the back of the bunch and you’re struggling. I don’t really like that,” Bennett said, frustrated, too, that the few sprint opportunities in this most mountainous of Tours were passing him by.
ADVERTISEMENT
A day later, in Fougères, Bennett finally engineered a chance for himself, despite his limited form and despite the squatting presence of so many overall contenders in prime sprint real estate in the closing kilometres. Mark Cavendish would claim his first win of this Tour, while Bennett was boxed in and had to settle for 10th, performing an unsparing self-appraisal as he warmed down on the turbo trainer afterwards.
“I was in a good position until the last right-hander and I got squeezed a little bit and I bottled it. I messed up there and I don’t know will I get another opportunity now,” Bennett said, the inference being that any day at this Tour could prove to be his last.
Pyrenees
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest News http://ift.tt/1Jo7MHA
No comments:
Post a Comment