George Bennett finished 11th in the penultimate stage of the Criterium du Dauphiné. Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s climber was part of an early breakaway of 25 riders, survived as one of the last riders in front and surcummed only with 1.5 kilometre to go. Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) won the stage.

“The first climb was immediately a very hard one and a strong group of riders broke away,” Sports Director Merijn Zeeman said. “25 riders were part of it, with George Bennett among them. They never got much space, because Team Sky set a high pace in the peloton. They went full gas in the break and in the peloton, as well. George was one of the best riders in the breakaway on the Col de la Madeleine. It became a knockout fight in the break and George fought well. It’s a pity that he got caught by the main group just before the finish, but this is a beautiful 11th place and he moves up to 15th in the general classification, as well.”

Improvement

Bennett approached his performance in the sixth stage of the Criterium du Dauphiné as a new step in his development. “I improved a lot during the last six, seven months and today, I was able to take a great step ahead,” the rider from New Zealand said. “I rode a very bad prologue last weekend and we’re still working hard to find out why that happened. 

Yesterday was a very hard day, as well and today, we had to deliver again immediately. I felt strong and on a first climb like this, it’s not a lottery to become part of the break. You have to be strong enough, and I was today.”

On Sunday, the Criterium du Dauphiné closes with another tough mountain stage. “It would be perfect if I was able to improve my 15th place in the general classification tomorrow, but I need some luck to do that,” Bennett added. “I have to see how my legs go.”