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Bennett lets the stars go, slides to 11th in the Tour de France

George Bennett slips to 11th overall in the Tour de France because he “just wasn’t good enough” to stay with the stars like race leader Fabio Aru in the 13th stage to Foix but “it’s not over yet.” 

LottoNL-Jumbo’s Kiwi ended the short 101-kilometre stage in 22nd place, around 2:20 minutes back from the classification leaders. Warren Barguil won the stage. 

“I just was not good enough today,” Bennett said. “The plan was to follow. I thought I would be stronger in the final because I felt quite good, but on that steep part I had a bad moment."

“Even if you just drop, a big group like that just rips time out of you. I was by myself. There was nothing I could do about it." 

“I am disappointed, but there are still eight stages to go. I have to go full-gas on the Galibier or the Izoard stage. It is not over yet. I am going to recover and hope to be there again in a few days in the mountains.” 

“Something like this can happen,” Sports Director Frans Maassen said. “It is a pity it happens, you hope he is able to ride as good as he did the other days."

“Today was a very though day. From the start to the finish the GC favourites went full-gas." 

“Contador and Quintana were much stronger than yesterday, but a top-10 position is not lost already. We have to see how we get back there because I know George is able to finish in the first 10 in Paris. Maybe tomorrow someone else has a bad day. It is still possible.”


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