Bennett produces timely reminder of his talents

Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) claimed his first victory of the season on the final stage of the Vuelta San Juan race in Argentina.

The 28-year-old made a late burst in the closing metres to narrowly pip Alvaro Hodeg (Deceuninck-QuickStep) and his own teammate Erik Baska to take the win on Sunday.

Bennett also held off the hotly tipped Colombian Fernando Gaviria and former world champion Mark Cavendish, who settled for 10th and 12th respectively in what was a star-studded field for the season opener.

“It’s really good for the confidence,” said Bennett.

“I came here looking for a stage win and it’s good for morale. I had the guys doing a perfect lead-out and I think QuickStep’s focus was on me.

"They held me out in the wind really early so I decided to hang back a little and then decided to come later in the sprint.

"I went a little too late but I had enough power, so the most difficult part was probably with 300 metres to go.

It was amazing. The crowds were like something you see in the Tour de France or the Giro d’Italia.

The win will send out a strong message to his rivals as well as to his team bosses.

Bennett has endured a frustrating winter hampered first by illness and also by the news that he would not be part of the team’s plans for this year’s Giro d’Italia, despite winning three stages of the Corsa Rosa in 2018.

The Tour de France also looks out of the question as bosses look set to build a team around the Slovenian star, Peter Sagan.

Sagan was fifth on the stage and was first to congratulate Bennett after the finish, dispelling any notion of a rift between the pair.

“I’m not going to get a Tour de France spot and the Giro is out of the question,” said Bennett.

“There’s the Vuelta, but I want to compete with the best sprinters. Maybe this will bring great things. Maybe they want me to do the Vuelta.

I’ll keep my head and keep racing. I’ll be professional, but it’s hard because it took me so many years to get to where I am. I feel like I’m almost punished.

“If I was German, I think I’d be discussing sprints in the Tour de France.”

Despite the disagreement regarding his race plan, Bennett is content with his German team overall and is positive that it will be another strong season.

However, his strong form will likely cause some selection headaches in the Bora-Hansgrohe camp.

The next big target for the Carrick-on-Suir sprinter will be at Paris-Nice in March before building up to the Vuelta España in August, should the team send him there.

“I’m more motivated now than ever. Now I can set my own personal target.

"Maybe it’s not what I had originally planned but they’re still top level WorldTour races. It’ll work out,” he said.