Danny Van Poppel: "We have always believed in Sam, and that is paying off now"

Sam Bennett won the stage for the second time in a row in the Vuelta a Espana, and Danny van Poppel was a key component in his success. Van Poppel placed 10th in the third stage of the Vuelta a Espana.

"We have always believed in Sam, and that is paying off now," said Van Poppel. He explains, "It was hectic today. Because of the huge headwind, I knew I shouldn't come too early. I think I dropped him off in the perfect way. Now that Sam is in such good shape and I have confidence in myself, we have to reap," Van Poppel told WielerFlits.

He continues, "It's not the same level as the Tour de France, but the Vuelta is certainly not bad either. Sam proves that he is a top rider. We have always believed in him, and it is paying off now."

In addition to his teammate's victory, he is also happy to race in his native country. “This is so nice to be able to do this in the Netherlands. It's special to be able to race and win here in the Netherlands. There was some pressure today, but that's part of it," concluded Van Poppel. He currently hotels 37th rank in GC, 41 seconds behind overall leader Edoardo Affini.