Criterium International: Bennett wins stage 1 sprint

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Ireland's Sam Bennett (Bora-Argon 18) won the morning stage of the Criterium International on Saturday, giving him first victory of the 2016 season and the race leader’s yellow jersey in the three-stage, two-day race held around Porto Vecchio at the south of Corsica.

Bennett beat Rudy Barbier (Roubaix Lille Métropole) and Romain Feillu (HP BTP - Auber93) after a high-speed 90km of racing, with the sprinters catching the break of the stage within sight of the finish line. Ramunas Navardauskas (Cannondale) finished seventh in the sprint.

Bennett won the slightly rising sprint after his Bora-Argon teammates worked hard in the chase of the break to also ensure the German team celebrated its first win of the season.

“We had a really good meeting yesterday and everybody knew exactly what to do. The guys were committed 100% and everyone did a tremendous job,” he explained.

“There was a crash with 15km to go and I was at the back of the peloton afterwards but the team stayed together and brought me back up without panic. In the last little decent we made our move and hit the front, after the last corner I still had 3 guys to lead me out.”

“I launched my sprint pretty early with 250m to go slightly uphill, but I felt I had to make my move because the whole team prepared everything so well. I felt that I opened a little gap and I could hold it to the line."

“It is brilliant to now have the first win under the belt. This is a reward for everyone in the team.”

How it happened

Despite a 9:15 stage start, the riders enjoyed warm, sunny spring weather for the 90km stage, with Chad Haga (Giant-Alpecin) back in the 124-rider peloton for the first time since being injured in the German team’s crash with a car in late January. He finished in the peloton, in the same time as Bennett.

The break of the day formed quickly with Lilian Calmejane (Direct Énergie), Pierre Latour (Ag2r-La Mondiale) and Jérémy Leveau (Roubaix Lille Métropole) quickly gaining 1:30.

Knowing the stage was short, the peloton refused to let them go but the trio fought to hold on to their lead and had 35 seconds with five kilometres to go. They still had 20 seconds with two kilometres remaining and ten seconds at the flamme rouge but the peloton could see them and the sprinters were keen to take their chance. The slightly downhill finish helped the chasers, as did the rising finish, with the peloton passing the breakaways on the long finishing straight to the centre of Porto Vecchio.

Thanks to time bonuses, Bennett leads Barbier by two seconds, with Calmejane third at three seconds after picking up bonus seconds during the breakaway.

Criterium International continues with a seven-kilometre time trial around Porto Vecchio on Saturday afternoon, with the decisive 171km hilly stage to Col de l'Ospedale on Sunday.

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