Irish riders Sam Bennett and Dillon Corkery had a superb showing at the Région Pays de la Loire Tour on Tuesday, taking first and third on the opening stage.
Bennett received a strong leadout from his Decathlon Ag2r La Mondiale team to take his second win of the season. He secured the leader’s jersey as a result of the victory, and will wear it on Wednesday’s second stage, a flat 158.5km leg which could also end in a sprint.
Corkery’s third place continues his strong run of form this season, with three previous top 10 finishes in races. The 2023 Rás Tailteann champion has been racing in France for several years and is chasing a bigger pro contract for next season.
Bennett is trying to return to the same level he had when winning the green jersey in the 2020 Tour de France.
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“A victory like this makes me believe I can win at WorldTour level again,” he said.
“I’m super happy. My team-mates did an amazing job on a pretty difficult final circuit. Everyone was awesome, and I’m particularly impressed by the youngsters who rode like experienced pros. That also put pressure on me, because I had to finish the job.
“I have a fantastic opportunity to ride for this team, and I want to give something back.”
