"I want to come back to the Tour de France and win again" - Sam Bennett looks for fresh start with full leadership at Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale

Sam Bennett has not been part of the Tour de France startlist since 2020. Now out of BORA - hansgrohe, the Irishman looks to return to the Grand Boucle and is hungry for wins with his new outfit for the 2024 season.

"A lot of things influenced my decision to join the team. Having an incredible racing program, working with Van Rysel," Bennett told Cyclingnews at the team presentation this Tuesday. "It's fantastic. I want to become the best Sam Bennett again and I think that Décathlon AG2R La Mondiale is the best environment for me if I want to reach my highest level." This comes after two years with BORA-hansgrohe where the results were not there.

Bennett struggled with a knee injury in late 2021 and that saw him out of the Tour de France following several victories and the green jersey. The public spat that then came from Patrick Lefevere saw the Irishman change teams. With a new leadout, including a fierce Danny van Poppel, everything seemed in place for his stint with the German team. However in his two years with the team he struggled to find form.

This summer his departure was already virtually confirmed. Eventually he found a new team in Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team, which have reinforced themselves both in terms of budget and riders for the upcoming season. Bennett was the start signing. “I want to come back to the Tour de France and win again."