Sam Bennett happy to finish the Tour after crash

It began as a quest to right the wrongs of 2015, but four hours into the 90 it took him to finish it, Sam Bennett’s race for Tour de France redemption was effectively over.

An opening-day pile-up in the bunch sprint ended one of the few chances he had to win and the subsequent injuries he sustained floored him for the next three weeks.

That he finished the race and became just the 10th Irishman to do so in the French capital last night will come as little consolation to the Carrick native.