There was more frustration for Sam Bennett on stage five of the Tour of Turkey on Thursday, with the Irishman almost crashing twice inside the final kilometre, having a dropped chain, and rolling across the line in 11th place.
Bennett was led out strongly by his Bora-hansgrohe team-mates, including Irish national champion Ryan Mullen, who drove the pace into the final kilometre. Bennett moved left to track other riders and clashed shoulders with Itamar Einhorn (Israel Start Up Nation), which caused a domino effect resulting in a crash.
Bennett and leadout man Danny van Poppel got back into position and were close to the front with 300 metres to go, with Van Poppel then launching his big leadout effort.
However, they found themselves having to take a longer line through a sweeping curve in the road, putting them several bike lengths behind the riders on the inside line. Bennett then had to come the long way around Van Poppel when he began his own sprint to the line, further delaying him and ending his chances.
He almost crashed again when he and Arvid De Kleijn (Human Powered Health) came into contact, the impact causing Bennett’s foot to come out of his pedals and his chain to come off. He rolled across the line a disappointed 11th.
Bennett has been trying to take his first win in almost a year, having suffered from a knee problem last season. There is a sense that a stage victory would have a considerable effect on his confidence and likely bring more success, but landing that win has proved to be more complicated than originally envisaged. His best position on the race was third on stage two.
“In the last kilometres everything was very hectic,” Bora-hansgrohe sports director Bernhard Eisel said. “Sam was unlucky when another rider touched him, and he had to get out of one pedal. Of course, we are not satisfied with the result, but we will try again tomorrow.”
The stage was won by the Australian Sam Welsford (Team DSM), who beat Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix) and the rest of the bunch to the line.
Eduardo Sepulveda (Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli) maintains his 13 second lead over Patrick Bevin (Israel-Premier Tech) at 13 secs.
Friday’s stage to Eceabat finishes with a 400-metre uphill slope.
In other news, the Rás Mumhan returns on Friday for the first time in three years. The four-day event will begin with a 90-kilometre stage starting and finishing in Tralee. The following day is the longest stage in the race, a 120-kilometre leg from Killarney to Sneem, which the Easter Sunday stage based around Knocknagree is 10 kilometres shorter.
The event will then conclude on Easter Monday with a 96-kilometre battle based out of Knocknagashel.
There is a 150-rider field with entrants from Ireland, Scotland and England. This year the race will allow juniors to take part and these will get a share out of a prize fund of €6,000.
Presidential Tour of Turkey (2.Pro)
Stage 5, Manisa to Ayvalik: 1 Sam Welsford (Team DSM) 186.1 kilometres in 4:13.49, 2 J Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix), 3 A De Kleijn (Human Powered Health), 4 R Zabel (Israel-Premier Tech), 5 I Einhorn (Israel-Premier Tech) all same time
Irish: 11 S Bennett (Bora-hansgrohe), 29 R Mullen (Bora-hansgrohe) each same time, 118 C McGeough (Wildlife Generation Pro Cycling) at 1.44, 142 J Ewart (Bike Aid) at 2.42
General classification after stage 5: 1 Eduardo Sepulveda (Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli) 19:18.07, 2 P Bevin (Israel-Premier Tech) at 13 secs, 3 J Vine (Alpecin-Fenix) at 25 secs, 4 H Vanhoucke (Lotto Soudal) at 37 secs, 5 A Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) at 46 secs.
Irish: 79 R Mullen (Bora-hansgrohe) at 15.53, 91 S Bennett (Bora-hansgrohe) at 17.50, 94 C McGeough (Wildlife Generation Pro Cycling) at 18.27, 103 J Ewart (Bike Aid) at 22.22.
Points: 1 Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix) 57, 2 K Groves (Team BikeExchange - Jayco) 42, 3 C Ewan (Lotto Soudal) 35. Irish: 7 S Bennett (Bora-hansgrohe) 26
