Having placed third on the opening stage of the Vuelta a San Juan Internacional last week, Sam Bennett had further frustration in his search for a win on Saturday's penultimate stage of the race.
The Carrick-on-Suir rider was quickest in the bunch sprint to the line but had to settle for fourth as a three-man breakaway managed to stay clear.
Bennett led in the bunch some 12 seconds behind the winner German Tivani (A.C.A Virgen de Fatima), and was left rueing what might have been.
“I’d like to thank the team, everybody did an amazing job,” he said.
“Their commitment and effort today was incredible. I would have liked to reward them with a win but in the end, I could only take the bunch sprint as the break got away. Once again, our guys rode unbelievable and I can’t thank them enough.”
Meanwhile Lara Gillespie was best of the Irish in the world cyclocross championships in Bogense, Denmark. She was 40th in the under 23 women's race, five places ahead of Lucy O'Donnell. Both are junior riders but as there is no race for this level, they had to compete in the higher age group.
National champion David Conroy was 41st in the men's under 23 race, while Adam McGarr was 61st in the junior men's event.
