Play it again, Sam: Bennett wins penultimate stage in Turkey

A day after finishing second to last and surrendering the overall lead to Stage 5 winner Diego Ulissi, Bora-Hansgrohe rider Sam Bennett stormed to yet another sprint victory at the 53rd Presidential Tour of Turkey to notch his fourth win of the race and 10th of the season.

The 26-year-old Irishman from Carrick-on-Suir was once again untouchable at the line, with Turkish national team rider Ahmet Örken trailing Bennett in second place to a thunderous applause after completing 166 kilometres from Selçuk to Izmir on Saturday. Italian Simone Consonni (UAE Team Emirates) rounded out the podium with his second third-place finish in as many days.

“Four stage wins [are] amazing,” Bennett told Eurosport. “I’m really, really happy. It was unfortunate Gregor [Mühlberger] couldn’t start today — he as sick. I hope he recovers quickly.

“Great again to get the win and hopefully we can try something again tomorrow.”

Eurosport asked Bennett if he was surprised by his performance in the hills on the second straight climbing stage.

“Like after yesterday, yeah,” he said. “Yesterday, I had such bad legs. If I had today’s legs yesterday I could have stayed — I don’t know where — on GC, but not keep it, but be close and get some more UCI points.

The 24-year-old Örken, who is a reigning four-time national time trial champion, has ridden with Turkey-registered UCI Continental team Torku Sekerspor since 2012, moves up to Pro Continental next year after signing a two-year contract with the Israel Cycling Academy. The step up will offer the 2016 Olympian stiffer competition, something he is eager to face after coming ever so close to Bennett in a UCI WorldTour race.

“Maybe 10 more metres I win the race,” said Örken, who claimed a stage win at the Tour de Serbia (UCI 2.2) and two at Tour of Qinghai Lake (2.HC). “I am so happy. This was a great result against a strong rider and it gives me confidence and experience at this level that I can use next year.”

Previous stage winner Diego Ulissi maintains the overall lead in the turquoise jersey with a 12-second advantage over Denmark's Jesper Hansen (Astana) and 24 seconds over 24 fellow Italian Fausto Masnada (Androni-Sidermec-Bottecchia).

“The team was very strong and kept control of the race,” Ulissi told Eurosport. “Tomorrow we are looking for the same so we can finish the race with the jersey.”

Sunday’s finale features a 143.7km sixth stage through the city streets of Istanbul, including sections of the Formula One Türkiye Grand Prix

For full stage and race results click here.