Bennett could ascend to yellow jersey as tour unfolds
He came into the Tour de France downplaying his prospects of individual success, but there is a chance Kiwi cyclist George Bennett could find himself wearing the yellow jersey.
Nelson’s Bennett yesterday sat fourth overall on the Tour, after riding solidly again on stage six.
Bennett finished in 17th on the stage, 2m 2s behind stage winner Dylan Teuns, but just 18s behind defending champion and overall favourite Geraint Thomas.
That keeps him 2s ahead of Thomas overall, but most notably, Bennett finished 17s ahead of teammate — and supposed team leader — Steven Kruijswijk.
With his Jumbo-Visma squad having dominated the team time trial, it leaves Bennett as the bestplaced climber on the general classification.
The three riders ahead of Bennett — new leader Guilio Ciccone, Julian Alaphilippe and Teuns — are all inferior to Bennett on long climbs, and an opportunity may present itself on stage 12 for the Kiwi to ride into the yellow jersey.
He thought he had a chance yesterday, with stage six ending with a 7km climb at gradients of 8.7 per cent, including a brutal final 900 metres at double-digit gradients.
It was thought to be too tough for overnight leader Alaphilippe, but he put in a superb ride to finish sixth on the stage — ahead of Bennett. And, with Ciccone and Teuns lasting from the original breakaway to contest the stage win, 2m before Bennett arrived, it meant instead of jumping into second overall — or first, if Alaphilippe struggled — he remained in fourth overall, ruing a missed opportunity.
“We [he and Kruijswijk] had an arrangement that if we arrived together at 900 metres and he didn’t need my help, then I could try get the jersey,” Bennett said after the stage.
“You just had to go, there wasn’t really any advantage to drafting [to help a teammate] or anything like that — just do what you can and get to the top. I gave it a go, hoping Alaphilippe would crack — it wasn’t to be.”
Bennett will still work in service of the Dutch rider, noting that Kruijswijk is suited to longer climbs, and generally gets better as Grand Tours progress.
“That’s a real explosive finish, and we know Stevie’s really good on the long stuff.
“He’s never been with the best in the first week, but he’s always better than the others in the last week.”
However, there still could be a chance for Bennett. Stage seven overnight was set to be contested by the sprinters, while if Bennett rides well, he should be able to stay with the best riders on punchy but manageable terrain on stages eight and nine.
The next two stages won’t trouble the general classification contenders, leaving stage 12 as the potential moment where the yellow jersey could change hands.
A 209.5km route from Toulouse to Bagneres-de-Bigorre, the stage features a 13.2km climb at an average gradient of 6.9 per cent, followed by a 9.9km climb at 7.7 per cent.
If the best climbers set a high pace on those climbs, it would surely be too difficult for Ciccone, Alaphilippe and Teuns, and possibly Bennett too.
But, with 32.5km of descending from the top of the final climb until the finish, if Bennett can stay close to the best riders on the ascent — a likely scenario — he could well catch them on the descent, and finish in the lead group, without the company of his three rivals.