Sam Bennett 'gutted to come real close' as he chases second Tour Down Under victory

The Irishman says the finish of stage four being different from what was in the roadbook was partly to blame for his second place

Sam Bennett at the Tour Down Under 2020 (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Sam Bennett says he was "gutted to come real close without quite finishing the job" as he was beaten by Lotto-Soudal's Caleb Ewan to the stage four victory at the Tour Down Under 2020.

The Deceuninck - Quick-Step sprinter was looking to claim a second victory for his new team, having won the opening stage of the Australian stage race. However, Bennett says he "ran out of gas" after a slight uphill in the finish as well as starting his sprint too early, with Ewan tucked in behind and bursting through to cross the line first.

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Hi. I'm Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor. I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.


Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).


I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.