Sam Bennett will seek to bounce back after missing the Tour de France when he lines out in the Sibiu Tour from Thursday. The Carrick-on-Suir rider was stunned recently when his Bora-Hansgrohe team passed him over for selection for the Tour, admitting he had no indication that could happen.
He won two stages plus the green jersey the last time he participated and said he was sure he would be back to his top condition for the event.
Bennett has an opportunity to make a point about his form in the Sibiu Tour, a stage race in Romania running until Sunday. While it is a much smaller event than the Tour, a successful performance there would boost his morale and help him build towards a strong end-of-season.
He said recently that he was considering targeting the world championships and also hoped for selection for the Vuelta a España. He won two stages in the opening three days there last year, but then had to withdraw due to Covid-19.
The Sibiu Tour begins on Thursday with an undulating stage potentially suited to a bunch sprint. Summit finishes then follow on Friday and Saturday, but Sunday’s morning stage could also end in a big sprint. It does feature a second category climb early on but there should be ample time for things to regroup before the finish line.
Bennett is in the final year of his contract with Bora-Hansgrohe and will be keen to underline that he is still one of the top sprinters in the world. His upcoming races will therefore play an important role in determining his future team and salary.
