Sam Bennett is heading to a fresh new start in a team where the expectations are interesting. Without a serious leadout, Sam Bennett will lead the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team in 2024 and he talks about how he will fight to prove himself and the move to the French team.
"I needed to be in a place where I had the best opportunity possible when it came to getting back to the Tour de France. I’m not getting any younger and I’m running out of time to do the Tour so I need to get back there and to try and win. I believe that I still have it in me but I just need a clear runway," Bennett told GCN. "It’s hard because you have all these options but then when break it all down to opportunity, and wages, and money is a factor that you can’t ignore because you have to feed your family, but for everything to click into place there aren’t that many options."
Having sole leadership was an objective but not easy for the Irishman after two difficult season with BORA - hansgrohe. He tells that there are no hard feelings with the German team, and that he was mostly disappointed that he couldn't take advantage of what was a very strong leadout throughout many races. "There are no hard feelings between me and Bora, and I did my absolute best over the last two years. We just couldn’t get it to work, unfortunately," he admits. Two stage wins at the Vuelta a Espana and the Eschborn-Frankfurt classic in 2022 were the highlights, strong results but inconsistent performances led to the fall-out between the two.
"I’ve got a chip on my shoulder. Just with how my career has unfolded. I was taken out when I was coming into what should have been my best years and I lost the," he says, having been hampered by injuries over the past years intermitently. "I have to prove to myself, and to others, that I still have it. I don’t want to be seen as one of those sprinters who left Quick-Step and couldn’t win anymore. I just know that’s not me. There’s still so much that I have to get out of my career and I’m not satisfied yet. Of course, if I retired I could look back at having a fantastic career but I’m not there yet."
Hence, the 33-year is not finish, and is not ready to throw down his gloves. Bennett is starting the 2024 season with high ambitions despite having less support in the French team when it comes to the flat stages - with the team not having space to bring in some of his reliable domestiques. "Ten wins and a Tour de France stage," he says is his goal.
"My minimum target each year is ten wins and I’ve been short a few years now but that’s the aim. It would be lovely to come out early and win at a French race but I think I need a bit more time to get ready for the season. I need the big base before I can start racing because if I’m on the back foot it’s so hard to catch up."
The year is slowly drawing to a close - the perfect time to take a look back on 2023! Enjoy our first recap! 🏆 Sam Bennett wins 1st stage of Vuelta San Juan. 🏆 Nico Denz wins 12th & 14th stage of Giro d'Italia. 🏆 Sergio Higuita wins 5th stage of Itzulia Basque Country. #recap
