Irishman Sam Bennett was left in tears on Tuesday after sprinting to a maiden stage win on the Tour de France following an Atlantic coast run between the islands of Oleron and Re.
The Team Deceuninck Quick-Step rider’s Stage 10 victory, on his Tour debut, ensured that he reclaimed the sprint points green jersey.
The Tour had a dramatic start to the day as director Christian Prudhomme tested positive for COVID-19, as the entire peloton returned negative tests.
Photo: AFP
French Prime Minister Jean Castex, whom Prudhomme had watched the race alongside in his car on Saturday last week, also tested negative.
Bennett narrowly edged Australia’s Caleb Ewan, while peloton superstar Peter Sagan came third to cede the green jersey on a sunny day attended by more fans than on any previous day.
After the finish line on the Island of Re, Ewan rode alongside the winner to fist bump in a rare show of empathy between sprinters.
Photo: AFP
Surrounded by his teammates, Bennett watched a replay before clenching his fist and cheering.
“It’s almost a relief,” said the 29-year-old, who had four near misses before clinching this stage, a 168.5km course featuring 78 roundabouts.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” Bennett added at the finish line before bursting into tears and thanking his team and his family.
Photo: Reuters
Bennett has stage wins this year on all three Grand Tours, his stage win here following stage victories on the Giro d’Italia (three) and the Vuelta a Espana (two).
He said that his next goal would be a Tour de France final day win on the cobbled Parisian streets of the Champs-Elysees, before concentrating post-Tour on the Milan-San Remo race and the World Cycling Championships.
Team Jumbo-Visma leader Primoz Roglic holds onto the overall lead with defending champion Egan Bernal in second place in the general classification, 21 seconds adrift.
Roglic is to ride a third day in the leader’s yellow jersey.
“If I’m honest, I’m relieved I wasn’t positive and I’m still here, but I never really thought I was positive,” said Roglic about Monday’s COVID-19 tests. “We are all healthy [the riders] and it’s beautiful the race goes on. For the director, I wish him a speedy recovery.”
Bernal’s Team Ineos made two assaults from the front of the peloton when there was wind, on the narrow roads that were ram-packed with spectators most of the way.
The usually clean-cut 23-year-old appeared with a peculiar haircut on Tuesday.
“I’ll be honest about this,” Bernal said, a little abashed.
“I did it myself and I started in there and cut off too much. I had to keep going so, you can see the result,” he said, having a good laugh at himself. “It’s more aerodynamic like that.”
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