SAM BENNETT STORMED home to win the third stage of the Volta ao Algarve in Portugal, continuing his superb season with his second stage win of the race.

The 203km flat sprint from Faro to Tavira ended with a chaotic finish, as Bennett’s team held off before timing their final surge to perfection.

The win represents Bennett’s seventh of the season so far, and the 56th of his pro career to date. Bennett also won the opening day stage which took in a 189.5km trip from Lagos to Portimao.

“Absolutely delighted, and the team again were absolutely fantastic,” Bennett told Eurosport.

“I found it difficult because of the heat and I really didn’t have the legs, and I’m quite surprised I was able to do it today, I didn’t think (I would).

“I knew the responsibility was on me to sprint, I didn’t know if I could actually do it but the job the guys did was fantastic and even in the final (sprint), I thought maybe it was lost, and Michael opened it up and did a fantastic lead-out.”

The Carrick-on-Suir man pipped Dutchman Danny van Poppel to first place, with his Deceuninck-QuickStep teammate Michael Mørkøv taking third.

“It was pretty chaotic, but I think a lot of teams went too early, and then we were pretty far back,” Bennett said.

“I think all the lead-out men were already done by the time we came around the last corner and Michael still hadn’t gone yet, so he was able to go and come from behind with a lot of speed, and caught a lot of sprinters off guard, and they just ran out of time to get on to our wheel and catch up with us.”

Ethan Hayter retained the yellow jersey, with the race continuing with the stage six time trial in Lagoa on Saturday. 

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