Sam Bennett is still waiting for his first win of the season after today’s stage 2 at the Tour of Turkey but the Irishman is at least getting closer after a 3rd place finish today into Alaçatı.
The early breakaway was recaptured with about 20km remaining, which set up a mass bunch sprint, though there were some late crashes. The victory went to 23-year-old Australian Kaden Groves of BikeExchange-Jayco.
He got the better of Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin Fenix), who was 2nd, with Bennett (Bora-hansgrohe) just behind the leading duo in 3rd place. Cees Bol (Team DSM) was 4th and Caleb Ewan placed 5th; the Lotto Soudal rider not finding quite the same punch today in the finish after he had won the opening stage yesterday.
Bennett – a nine-time winner of stages at the Tour of Turkey – did not contest the finishing sprint yesterday. While he was distanced on a late climb, he managed to get back onto the group. But his team then switched its efforts to Danny van Poppel, who took 4th place.
Bennett’s performance today was better, though it still appeared he was some way off his best in the sprint finish. He has said in recent weeks he is still working to build his condition – after a knee injury last year. He believes when he improves he will arrive at the finishes in a fresher state and should then be able to find his winning sprint again.
The Tour of Turkey has always been kind to Bennett and it is the race where he took his first ever World Tour win; back in 2017 when he took four stage victories. He then collected another three in 2018 before winning two more in 2019.
This time around one win would suffice for the Carrick-on-Suir man; just enough to restore some confidence after a tricky start to the season, during which he has worked hard to get into race-winning positions but come up short in the sprints.
Today’s winner, Groves, is among a new generation of young sprinters now starting to make their presence felt and between the Australian and compatriot Ewan, as well as Belgian Phililpsen, the sprints will be very competitive over the week to come.
Bennett’s team mate Ryan Mullen was 42nd today, and was also in the near 100-rider bunch sprinting for victory. Fellow Irish riders Cormac McGeough (Wildlife Generation) and Jesse Ewart (Bike Aid) were 115th and 118th respectively, both in a group at 1:44.
Tomorrow’s stage 3 takes the riders 117.9km from Çeşme to İzmir. It is a flat run and looks suited to the sprinters. It means Bennett will not have to wait too long to get another crack at taking his first win since last May.
