🇦🇺 #TourDownUnder What a special win on home soil! Celebrating with family after taking out the first stage 💚
Danny van Poppel happy with change of leader at BORA - hansgrohe: "Sam Bennett is a good friend of mine, but in the end it’s business and we want to win"
CyclingTuesday, 16 January 2024 at 11:14
Danny van Poppel was signed by BORA - hansgrohe in 2022 as a leadout man and became one of the very best, however Sam Bennett struggled to perform. On the first day separated, the Dutchman is happy to have assisted Sam Welsford to his maiden win with the team at the Tour Down Under.
“We did the lead out often last year but with [Sam] Bennett it didn’t turn out well. New Sam (Welsford, ed.) is a powerhouse. He’s a totally different type of sprinter to Bennett – I was waiting for a fast sprinter. Sam Bennett is a good friend of mine, but in the end it’s business and we want to win," Danny van Poppel told Rouleur in quite sincere words. Ultimately, the past two seasons were not the best for the Irishman who often struggled with form, whilst the German team developed a world class leadout.
Van Poppel was the key piece in it, and today we've seen that once again. Ryan Mullen and then van Poppel led Welsford out perfectly, who had the speed to beat Phil Bauhaus and Biniam Girmay to the line. “He has so much power from the track. When we do a lead out like this, guys like Kittel, Greipel, Welsford, they can do it," he said.
"Sam’s only been riding in the WorldTour for two years so everything is new to him and he’s still super hungry. He can be the new sprinter with us, it’s a perfect combination I think.”
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