Rider Profile
George Bennett
Israel-Premier Tech
Personal Details:
Teams history:
- 2024 - Israel-Premier Tech
- 2023 - UAE Team Emirates
- 2022 - UAE Team Emirates
- 2021 - Team Jumbo–Visma
- 2020 - Team Jumbo-Visma
- 2019 - Team Jumbo-Visma
- 2018 - LottoNL-Jumbo
- 2017 - Team LottoNL-Jumbo
- 2016 - Team LottoNl-Jumbo
- 2015 - Team LottoNL-Jumbo
- 2014 - Cannondale
- 2013 - RadioShack Leopard
- 2012 - RadioShack-Nissan
Biography:
New Zealander George Bennett, born April 7, 1990, began racing bicycles as a junior with a club team and then focused on a career in the pro peloton as a 21-year-old with the Trek-Livestrong development programme and as a stagiaire with the RadioShack WorldTour team. That first year he impressed with the overall win at Tour of Wellington and then second overall at Ronde de l’Isard in France.
After two full years with RadioShack ,where he made his Grand Tour debut at the Giro d’Italia in 2013, he moved to Cannondale and capped the year completing the Vuelta a España.
LottoNL-Jumbo then became his home for seven seasons. In 2016, his second year with the team, Bennett had a breakthrough year which saw him make his Tour de France and Olympic Games debuts and finish 10th overall at the Vuelta. Bennett won his first career GC title at the 2017 Amgen Tour of California, including two stage podiums across a steady week of riding. He earned a pair of top 10s on stages 9 and 12 at the Tour de France, which put him in 12th position overall, but illness forced him to abandon stage 16.
The New Zealander took top 10 at the 2018 Giro d'Italia. The next year he was sixth overall at Paris-Nice and then returned to the Amgen Tour of California after missing the previous year and finished fourth overall.
In 2020 he went back-to-back with a victory at Gran Piemonte and second at Il Lombardia. The 2021 season began with a New Zealand road title and he took the silver medal in the individual time trial. He had three top 10s on stages at the Giro, finishing 11th overall.
The 2022 season saw Bennett in the new colours of UAE Team Emirates and he racked up four GC top 10s - New Zealand Cycle Classic, Vuelta a Castilla y Leon, Tour de l’Ain and Tour de Langkawi - however, one main goal was to help Tadej Pogačar at the Tour de France. That quest was derailed with a positive test for COVID-19, which did not allow him to start stage 9. Pogačar ended up finishing second behind Jumbo Visma’s Jonas Vingegaard.
The Tour de Suisse was a key target in 2023 in a Tour build-up, but Bennett was caught in a crash on stage 2 in Switzerland and then pulled out before stage 5. He went to the Tour of Austria, finishing seventh on GC, after not being selected for a sixth Tour de France.
The New Zealander signed a two-year contract to race for Israel-Premier Tech in 2024 and 2025, strengthening the ProTeam's climbing squad.
2023
🥈 New Zealand Road Nationals time trial
2022
🥈 One stage and GC at Vuelta a Castilla y Leon
Fourth GC at Tour de Langkawi
2021
🥇 New Zealand Road Nationals road race
🥈New Zealand Road Nationals time trial
🥉 One stage Giro d’Italia
2020
🥇 Gran Piemonte
🥈 Il Lombardia
🥈 One stage Vuelta a Burgos
🥈 New Zealand Road Nationals road race
🥈 New Zealand Road Nationals time trial
2019
🥉 One stage at Amgen Tour of California
Fourth GC Amgen Tour of California
2018
🥈 Two stages Tour of the Alps
2017
🥇 GC at Amgen Tour of California
Related Articles
'A horrible dynamic' - George Bennett praises teammates' hard work in massive Vuelta a España breakaway
By Alasdair Fotheringham published
News New Zealander disappointed at failure to claim stage win but moves into top ten
George Bennett finds 'selfish gene again' as GC leader with Israel-Premier Tech
By Sophie Smith published
Feature Kiwi climber relaxed at Tour Down Under with freedom to go for Grand Tour stage wins in 2024
George Bennett signs two-year deal with Israel-Premier Tech
By Daniel Ostanek published
News 'I see a lot of opportunities, especially in Grand Tours and in the high mountains' says New Zealander
Niamh Fisher-Black leads youthful New Zealand women's team for Road Worlds
By Simone Giuliani published
News George Bennett to don silver fern in Glasgow with elite men's squad including Patrick Bevin, Laurence Pithie, Corbin Strong
'Absolute dog of a sport sometimes' – Crashes force George Bennett and Jay Vine out of Tour de Suisse
By Barry Ryan published
News UAE Team Emirates lose two riders ahead of key mountain stage
George Bennett – From 'as cracked as a man can get' to ready to roll with the punches
By Simone Giuliani published
Interview 'I just want to get back to being good again' says New Zealand rider after hopeful start to 2023 following 'horrible' 2022
George Bennett chases Tour de Langkawi opportunity before turning page on tough 2022
By Simone Giuliani published
News UAE Team Emirates rider enters pivotal GC Genting Highlands stage among the favourites
Skeleton New Zealand team at Worlds after riders asked to pay own way
By Simone Giuliani published
News No George Bennett with James Fouche sole elite men's competitor, Niamh Fisher-Black to lead women's team of four
Blogs
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Lauren De Crescenzo and her tough decision to miss UCI Gravel World Championships
In her own words, the gravel star explains the complex picture of the Gravel World Championships for the US team -
A proper women's race – Historic day in Emporia at Unbound Gravel
Extended gaps around women's start end with unprecedented sprint finish though 'it’s still imperfect, but it’s the best we can do for now' -
Road prep and adapting to new rules as Life Time Grand Prix begins at Fuego XL mountain bike event
Lauren De Crescenzo uses The Growler for confidence boost ride ahead of prestigious off-road series -
'Untapped gold' in store for inaugural RADL GRVL in South Australia
Nathan Haas calls gravel course 'raw, fast, exciting' after pre-ride with co-founder Valtteri Bottas -
UCI Gravel Worlds - new course, same criticisms cast doubt on event
Nathan Haas hears feedback from fellow riders on course elevation being 'selective without being stupid'