The Sam Bennett Discussion Thread

[Breezy1985]

Just saw his interview with ITV there. Said he wasn't 100% sure if the break had been caught and didn't want to celebrate too much and look like a muppet.

Also very vocal by his standards about being upset by everything that's been happening behind the scenes. Said he was keen for a change but it doesn't seem to be getting anywhere.

Judging by the interview I heard he was starting to sound really frustrated with the Vuelta and their fake profiles and realising just how much a booby prize it is from Bora. He needs at least a guarantee of a Giro place wherever he goes next.

Hopefully to Quickstep or a team I like too as Im already down about having to shout for Ineos and ICA next year

 

[Red Rick]

I don't think there's 1 sprinter that would be the #1 ahead of Bennett day in day out.

I hope he finds a good team, he really deserves to be the #1 sprinter on a team.

Bora trying to keep him is only because he could threaten Sagan for green imo.

 

[Leinster]

Judging by the interview I heard he was starting to sound really frustrated with the Vuelta and their fake profiles and realising just how much a booby prize it is from Bora. He needs at least a guarantee of a Giro place wherever he goes next.

Hopefully to Quickstep or a team I like too as Im already down about having to shout for Ineos and ICA next year

I don’t think there’s any question that wherever he goes, he’ll have a TdF ride. The only drawback for him is that the sprinting field is very deep right now so he can’t tell an employer “I’ll guarantee you 3 stage wins,” so he can’t demand the wages of a peak-Cavendish.

The question is, if not Quickstep, then where?

I don’t think he’s a threat to Sagan’s green because, as much as he seems to be a lot more versatile than any pure sprinter, he seems to be focused on stage wins, and stage wins only. No effort to contest the intermediate sprints, or be up there in stages he can’t win. He hasn’t picked up a lot of sprint jerseys in his career so far.

 

[Nirvana]

I don't think there's 1 sprinter that would be the #1 ahead of Bennett day in day out.

I hope he finds a good team, he really deserves to be the #1 sprinter on a team.

Bora trying to keep him is only because he could threaten Sagan for green imo.

Considering how things go in Bora I can see more them picking Ackermann over Sagan for next year Tour.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Yeah, Ackermann is more than ready for the Tour. So is Bennett. And you can't let Sagan out of the Tour either. Imagine being a Bora manager and having to take a decision like this. Nightmare.

 

[boneshaker]

Considering how things go in Bora I can see more them picking Ackermann over Sagan for next year Tour.

Don't forget that the main goal for Bora next year may be a podium for Buchmann. In that case Sagan will be the best choice.

 

[Nirvana]

Don't forget that the main goal for Bora next year may be a podium for Buchmann. In that case Sagan will be the best choice.

Yeah, i've read that Buchmann wants two more helpers for next year but they look to favour a lot german riders over the others so i wouldn't be surprised at all to see Ackermann taking the place of Sagan even if with very little sprint help.

 

[42x16ss]

Yeah, i've read that Buchmann wants two more helpers for next year but they look to favour a lot german riders over the others so i wouldn't be surprised at all to see Ackermann taking the place of Sagan even if with very little sprint help.

Sagan to the Giro with Ackermann and Archbold to the TDF?

Would make the fight for green very interesting but not sure if it will happen.

 

[42x16ss]

Here’s our answer;

Sam Bennett in battle to free himself from Bora-Hansgrohe, according to sources

The German team is believed to be fighting to keep Bennett next season

www.cyclingweekly.com

So there was idd some sort of previous agreement. The validity of it will be examined by the UCI after hearing all parties.

Totally bizarre that Bennett agreed to this. If I was him I'd be gunning for Cimolai's position at Israel Cycling Academy or Greipel's spot at Arkea.

I certainly wouldn't be signing letters of intent when I'm already unhappy, then complaining that I can't get a contract with another team.

 

[jaylew]

Bora trying to keep him is only because he could threaten Sagan for green imo.

A threat to Green? No way. The reason they're trying to keep him is because everything is absolutely perfect for them as it is. They have virtually every major race that ends in a sprint covered.

Yeah, Ackermann is more than ready for the Tour. So is Bennett. And you can't let Sagan out of the Tour either. Imagine being a Bora manager and having to take a decision like this. Nightmare.

Nightmare? It's a dream scenario that they've handled beautifully this year.

They took Ackermann to the Giro and he won stages and the points jersey.
They took Sagan to the Tour and he won a stage and the points jersey
They took Bennett to the Vuelta and he's won stages

Sagan has the classics and slightly harder stages and one days,
Bennett got the best calendar of stage races and won consistently,
Ackermann also won in his stage races, and added 4 sprinter-friendly one day wins

It's really hard to second guess any decision they've made. Of course, every top sprinter worth his cleats wants to get his shot at the Tour so it could never last long term but you can't blame them for trying to hang on to all 3 for as long as they can.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Yeah, they managed it very well this year, but Bennett and Ackermann are at a point of their career were they simply can't skip the Tour anymore.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

I agree that you don’t need to think like a chess grandmaster to work out why they want to keep Bennett. Their sprinters have 28 wins this season, between Bennett, Ackermann, Sagan and Archbold. Bennett accounts for thirteen of them and may well hit fifteen. He may have been disgruntled, but if he was it didn’t stop him from winning and he didn’t cause problems over it. Of course they’d like the same again next year.

As noted above though there’s only so long good management and the glow of regular victories can hide the basic underlying problem. They can’t all do the races they want and deserve to do and they will only accept that for a while. If you keep forcing them to accept it, eventually their professionalism will run out and you will get serious morale problems and factionalism within the team. Bora generally seem to be a very well run, very low drama team so their willingness to risk internal ructions shows just how well Bennett and Ackermann have been doing.

 

[Breezy1985]

Unlucky today but showed real strength.

Holding on alone for 200+k at an average of 55kph is amazing. Bodes well for the future maybe even a MSR or a flatish WC for him someday. Possible SC in a tour if he can learn to manage breaks like that

 

[JosephK]

Unlucky today but showed real strength.

Holding on alone for 200+k at an average of 55kph is amazing. Bodes well for the future maybe even a MSR or a flatish WC for him someday. Possible SC in a tour if he can learn to manage breaks like that

I wonder if it was DQS's intent to have Stybar act as a rabbit to lure out a too-early sprint from Bennett, or maybe that's just the way things played out, allowing for Gilbert to make the final move. In any event, Bennett looks to be one of the great stars in cycling at the present.

 

[Breezy1985]

I wonder if it was DQS's intent to have Stybar act as a rabbit to lure out a too-early sprint from Bennett, or maybe that's just the way things played out, allowing for Gilbert to make the final move. In any event, Bennett looks to be one of the great stars in cycling at the present.

Its the same tactic we see from them all spring either Bennett follows wheels and Stybar wins or chases and Phil does. His only hope was to spot the Stybar move in time and jump on but even then Phils most likely on his back

 

[yaco]

QS were always the favorites to win the stage after they had so many riders in the break,

 

[ice&fire]

Checking the standings he's only 25 pts down on Roglic. If the mountain stages go to the break and Roglic doesn't get many points, the green jersey is still within his reach. Friday's tricky finish will be key.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Great from him, but reallyv

Checking the standings he's only 25 pts down on Roglic. If the mountain stages go to the break and Roglic doesn't get many points, the green jersey is still within his reach. Friday's tricky finish will be key.

im not sure that he’s ever made an even mildly significant effort to win a points jersey in any race ever.

 

[ice&fire]

He just needs to do an effort to win the two stages where he has a chance, and wait to see if Roglic doesn't get many points in the two remaining mountain stages.

 

[boneshaker]

Great from him, but reallyv

im not sure that he’s ever made an even mildly significant effort to win a points jersey in any race ever.

Being the best sprinter in the race is a significant effort.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Being the best sprinter in the race is a significant effort.

Sure but all of his effort consistently goes on stage wins. He very rarely does anything beyond that to win a points jersey.

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

the only thing he could have done was check his sprint once he was obviously going to catch Stybar. save himself to try and latch onto the second punch. he was in a tough spot though.

 

[del1962]

Sure but all of his effort consistently goes on stage wins. He very rarely does anything beyond that to win a points jersey.

Yes but he has never been in this position before, today he borrows the jersey so it might change things.

 

[Leinster]

the only thing he could have done was check his sprint once he was obviously going to catch Stybar. save himself to try and latch onto the second punch. he was in a tough spot though.

The early jump worked for him in the Giro last year, and it worked last week. It's just that this time, an in-form PhilGil was in the wheels, after sitting on for 40km. With 20/20 hindsight, he was probably better off waiting until an actual sprint started, especially with that uphill kick round the last corner. Probably.

 

[happytramp]

He suggested before the race (or after his first stage win, can't remember) that he'd like to have a tilt at the green Jersey comp. He also went for the intermediate sprint yesterday. I have a feeling he wants it a lot. Yesterday was great in that regard, he could have just as easily missed the break and got nothing. From early on he must have guessed it'd be hard to win the stage but he still picked up 24 points.... I suspect he made the calculation early on to get as many points as possible knowing that he's got two more chances to complete the hattrick of stages.