HERE WE GO again.
Yesterday saw Sam Bennett become only the sixth Irish cyclist to win a stage of the Tour de France, and 29-year-old has deservedly been receiving universal praise for his achievement.
Not for the first time, however, someone has attempted to claim an athlete from these shores as “British”.
Step forward, Bradley Wiggins.
The former Tour de France winner and Olympic gold medallist joined another cycling great Sean Kelly on Eurosport’s ‘The Breakaway’ to chat about Bennett, who was born in Belgium to Irish parents and grew up in Carrick-on-Suir.
“He’s still relatively young in cycling terms and he’s a young sprinter really,” Wiggins began.
“We can almost consider him British. I know that you lot won’t like that, will you?” he then added, glancing over at Kelly.
“I’ve known Sam quite a few years in terms of racing, although I don’t know him personally.”
At which point, Kelly interjected: “You’re not going to claim him”.
Instead of stopping there, ‘Wiggo’ decided to double down with a bad joke.
“We spoke to him at the Vuelta last year when he came on our show, and at least we can understand what he’s saying. We can’t really understand what you’re saying Sean, can we?”
Astonishing.
THE FUCKING NECK. And then he comes back with another insult.
— Aidan (@onthenickel) September 9, 2020
Sean should've decked him. pic.twitter.com/7QtmFoutfu
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