Brave Bennett battles on after being hit by car

George Bennett has admitted he’s lucky to be alive after being hit by a car on a training ride in Italy.

The Kiwi cyclist narrowly avoided calamity the day before taking part in the Tour of the Alps, but was fortunate to walk away largely unscathed, with no broken bones or lasting damage. He showed no lingering effects in the opening stage of the race, riding strongly to finish seventh.

“I was riding fast and a car was coming the other way. It didn’t see us, and it turned left across the road and I went straight into the side of him and I went over. Luckily, I went over the car but I ripped the roof rack off with my knees,” Bennett said.

“I was really lucky with how it happened. I’m lucky to be alive, I think. It could have been me in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. I did a lot of thinking last night.

“It was a bit of a shock and this morning when I woke up I definitely knew that I’d been hit by a car.”

His early form in the Tour of the Alps continues Bennett’s strong preparation for next month’s Giro d’Italia. The stage featured a steady 19.2km climb before descending into a punchy finish, and it was there that Bennett displayed his form.

With 7km to go, four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome attacked on the climb, and only a select group — Thibaut Pinot, Domenico Pozzovivo, and Bennett — were able to hang onto his wheel.

The quartet held their gap to the chasing pack for a few kilometres before they were caught on the descent, at which point Pello Bilbao attacked, opening up a gap which he wouldn’t relinquish on the short uphill sprint to the line.

Bilbao came home six seconds ahead of Astana teammate Luis Leon Sanchez. — Niall Anderson