Coming from what seemed like an impossible position, Sam Bennett once again proved exactly why he is the best sprinter in the world with a stunning win in the opening stage of Paris-Nice. Despite having to pull hard to his left, Bennett won by well over a bike length, this time affording himself time to hold both alarms aloft in his moment of victory, as well he might. With winning bonus seconds Bennett also takes the overall race lead, four seconds ahead of Demare, and will wear the second most famous yellow jersey in cycling going into Monday’s Stage 2. Bennett also started his second race of the season just a week the Irish rider was denied a hat-trick of stage wins at the climax of the UAE Tour in Abu Dhabi, by Caleb Ewan, having already won Stage 4 and Stage 6, bringing his tally of UCI world tour wins to 51. The Queen Stage on the penultimate day finishes atop a 16.3km climb in La Colmiane, before the finish into Nice this Sunday: “Paris-Nice is a race with a lot of history, and at the same time, a very hard race,” Bennett said earlier on Sunday.

Source: The Irish Times March 07, 2021 16:47 UTC