Sensational Sam Bennett puts trouble behind him to claim Vuelta stage win

Sam Bennett (Team Bora - Hansgrohe- celebrates winning Stage 2 of the Vuelta from`s-Hertogenbosch to Utrecht 

Sam Bennett has won the second stage of the Vuelta a España.

Victory was all the more satisfying given that Bennett has endured a miserable two seasons on and off the bike.

But the Carrick-on-Suir man answered his critics in the best way possible with a powerful sprint finish in Utrecht this afternoon holding off the challenges of former world champion Mads Pedersen and Tim Merlier.

Bennett paid tribute to his Bora-Hansgrohe team-mates in the aftermath: "Ryan Mullan did a great job for me and then Dany van Poppel - well he didn't just deliver me to the sprint, he launched me.

"He brought me up with speed, then he was kind of ready for me to jump, but I waited a second, and I didn't know if I'd let my speed drop too much, and I was nervous I wouldn't get on top of the speed again.

He continued:  ”It was down to the boys today, they did a fantastic job bringing me to the intermediate [sprint]. 

"We tried to just collect points, we didn’t try to go for the actual first place in that to keep the legs for the final.

”They brought me to the line with great legs. In that moment you are just racing.”

"It's nice. I knew I'd do it (win another Grand Tour stage) again, it was just a matter of getting the right legs. What I'm really happy about is continuing my pattern of winning at least one stage in every Grand Tour I've done since 2018."

“I’m quite happy with my level but I think experience and the guys made a difference today. 

"There might be another sprint tomorrow. We’ll go in with the same hunger again.”

The result continues Bennett's incredible run of winning a stage in the last five Grand Tours he has contested.

The first three stages are taking place in the Netherlands after the coronavirus pandemic disrupted plans for the Vuelta to race there the last two years. The third stage will be a completely flat route that will also finish with a sprint to the line.

Dutch fans got a surprise treat as Mike Teunissen grabbed the overall leader’s red jersey. Teunissen came in fourth place at the final sprint to become the second Dutch leader in the overall standings after his Jumbo-Visma teammate Robert Gesink led after the first stage.