Combative Bennett heads into final day Tour of Poland as third overall
George Bennett has showed himself from his best side in the sixth stage of the Tour of Poland. The 28-year-old leader of Team LottoNL-Jumbo attacked three times on the final climb, but was caught in the last kilometre. He finished seventh. In the general classification Bennett remains third with the final stage coming up tomorrow.
In the queen stage, Team LottoNL-Jumbo animated the race. Lars Boom was part of the early breakaway, after which Enrico Battaglin and Floris De Tier perfectly launched their leader for his attacks on the final climb.
"Today was a good test to see wether the work we have been doing on the short climbs is working.", thus Bennett. "I didn't feel great through the stage but we had talked on the bus about attacking on the last climb. The boys kept me in a great position and then on the last climb Enrico and Floris just went full gas so I had to try and finish the job. I got close but they closed me down after the climb. Still it was a nice day out there and it was good to see the team working as a unit."
“The team has executed the plan really well today. Just a pity that we didn’t win the stage”, sports director Grischa Niermann said. “We had Lars in the breakaway, which was ideal. Then Enrico and Floris did a good job for George. George tried it a few times and the third time seemed the right time. But in the end it flattened off and there was some headwind. A pity it didn’t work out, but he rode a great stage. Regarding the general classification, nothing has been lost. If there’s an opportunity, we’ll certainly try again tomorrow.”