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"To do it in green is so special" | Sam Bennett's euphoric reaction to winning the Green Jersey

Sam Bennett has become the first Irish rider since Sean Kelly in 1989 to claim the Green Jersey a...



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"To do it in green is so special" | Sam Bennett's euphoric reaction to winning the Green Jersey

Sam Bennett has become the first Irish rider since Sean Kelly in 1989 to claim the Green Jersey at the Tour de France.

The Quikspet rider did it in style by winning the final stage up the Champs Elysees, Pedersen was second and Sagan was third across the line.

Bennett was already mathematically assured of the points race after main rival Peter Sagan failed to contest the intermediate sprint in the middle of the final stage in Paris, nonetheless, the Carrick on Suir man picked up 11 points to make absolutely certain.

The stage win was Bennett's second on the tour and second in his career.

The 29-year-old hit a top speed of 66.1km/h in the bunch finish to beat world champion Mads Pedersen and take his second stage win of the Tour, having already wrapped up the points classification at the intermediate sprint of the 122km stage from Mantes-la-Jolie.

Speaking with Eurosport after the in, Bennett said: "I can't tell you how excited I am. Green jersey, the Champs Elysees, world championships of sprinting. I never thought I'd ever be able to win this stage and to do it in green is so special. To do it with my dream team and to go on a quick step. The way the boys rode all day, they're fantastic. It's just so amazing, the feeling. I can't thank people enough.

"All the suffering through the mountains, it's so worth it now. All the years coming up, trying to make it. It took me so long to get here, I'm sorry if I'm coming across as too arrogant, but I'm just going to enjoy every moment of it."

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