Bennett upset by stop-start stage

CYCLING/AN POST RÁS:IRISH PRO Sam Bennett got his An Post Rás off to a fine start yesterday with a second place into Portumna, but he was still disappointed afterwards. The An Post Grant Thornton M Donnelly Seán Kelly rider was beaten in a bunch sprint by Britain's Dean Downing (Rapha Condor Sharp), and felt that he would have triumphed had things played out differently.

The source of Bennett’s frustration was a controversial decision by the chief commissaire to stop the race after a crash in the bunch inside the final eight kilometres. At that point three riders were clear, namely Sean Downey (Ireland Team Skoda), Yuriy Agarkov (ISD Lampre Continental) and Pete Williams (Motorpoint).

The reasoning to stop the race and to restart it later with similar time gaps was because the crash caused an obstruction on a narrow road and held up some riders and team cars. However, there is little precedent for this in international racing, and Downing and Bennett questioned the logic.

“I think had the race not been stopped, I would have won,” said Bennett, who became one of the youngest stage winners two years ago at 18. “After we stopped, the legs went to jelly, I didn’t have anything for the sprint.

“The team did most of the work for me, the lads all did a brilliant job of bringing me up and I would like to thank them. The crash was at the back of the bunch, so I don’t know why they stopped it.”

Downing echoed this. “I’m sorry for the guys who crashed, but it is strange that they neutralised it. We were stopped for only a couple of minutes, but after that, it was so hard on the riders. Your legs just lactate up. But we managed to get to the front in the right time and won the stage.”

The 147.8km stage began in Dunboyne, Co Meath, and was marked by a headwind most of the way to Portumna in Galway. This affected the racing, with several groups going clear but then being recaptured after several kilometres.

The 2004 race winner, David McCann (Giant Kenda), was in an early move and won the first intermediate sprint at Allenwood.

Following a brave but unsuccessful attack by his team-mate Martyn Irvine, British An Post rider Mark McNally was quickest out of a 17-man break at the second sprint at Mountmellick. Team-mate Mark Cassidy was also present and he took the sprint at Clonaslee.

The group was brought back after 104km, as were subsequent breaks involving Peter Hawkins (Ireland Team Skoda) and Robin Kelly (Kildare Newbridge).

Downey got clear with Agarkov and Williams approximately 12km from the end and, after the controversial stop and restart, they were reeled in inside the final kilometre.

Downey missed out on his chance, and so too did Bennett.

The race continues today with a mainly flat, 164km stage to Kilrush in Co Clare.