Bennett wins another stage as Affini takes Vuelta lead

BREDA, Netherlands (AP) — Sam Bennett went two years and not using a stage win at a Grand Tour race. Now he has gained two in a row.

The Bora-Hansgrohe rider prevailed in one other dash end on the third stage of the Spanish Vuelta on Sunday, with Edoardo Affini taking the chief’s purple jersey to maintain his Jumbo-Visma workforce in place to assist Primoz Roglic defend his title.

Affini is the third consecutive rider from the Dutch workforce to seize the general lead throughout the Vuelta’s begin within the Netherlands.

“It began with successful the time trial and it’s wonderful to have the ability to share these moments in our workforce’s nation,“ Affini stated. “I suppose it was much more particular for our Dutch guys, however it is also for me. To be the chief of a basic classification right here is actually a tremendous feeling. It’s loopy to have the ability to be the chief.”

The highest six riders within the basic classification are from Jumbo-Visma. Sam Oomen was behind Affini, with Roglic simply behind.

It was the ultimate stage earlier than the Vuelta returns to Spain after beginning within the Netherlands.

Michael Woods, a two-time stage winner on the Vuelta and one of many title challengers this 12 months, needed to abandon the race after a crash. Richard Carapaz additionally crashed however was capable of proceed.

Bennett hadn’t gained a Grand Tour stage for the reason that 2020 Vuelta earlier than ending his winless streak in Utrecht on Saturday.

“It’s fairly good to make it occur two days in a row,” stated Bennett, who now has 10 Grand Tour stage victories, 5 of them on the Vuelta.

After a 193-kilometer (120-mile) loop round Breda on Sunday, Bennett was dominant on the ultimate meters to take the victory forward of Mads Pedersen and Dan McLay. Pedersen had additionally are available second on Saturday.

Sam Bennett of Eire, sporting the most effective sprinter’s inexperienced jersey, celebrates as he crosses the end line forward of Denmark’s Mads Pedersen, proper, to win the third stage of the Vuelta biking race over 193.2 kilometers (120 miles) with begin and end in Breda, Netherlands, Sunday, Aug. 21, 2022.

“It was fairly laborious as a result of I believe lots of people had been combating for our wheel,“ Bennett stated. “Individuals began to go up on the within and squeeze me off. It was fairly a tough combat. An enormous thanks for the boys, they labored all day, taken care of me the entire stage.”

Roglic, attempting to win an unprecedented fourth straight Vuelta title, completed comfortably within the peloton to remain close to the entrance. Robert Gesink and Mike Teunissen additionally wore the purple jersey for workforce Jumbo-Visma.

Riders will get their first relaxation day on Monday earlier than the race resumes within the Basque Nation in northern Spain.

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