SAM BENNETT HAS claimed the green jersey at the Volta ao Algarve after Sunday’s fifth and final stage.
The Carrick on Suir rider sealed two stage wins in Portugal for the Deceuninck-QuickStep team, who he’ll depart at the end of his contract.
“I didn’t know if I could do it,” said Bennett after the race.
“The job the guys did was fantastic – even in the final I thought it was lost, but Michael (Morkov) opened it up and did a fantastic lead-out.”
Bennett also won the green jersey – handed out to the rider who tops the points classification leaderboard – at last year’s Tour de France.
Portugal’s Joao Rodrigues was the overall Volta ao Algarve winner, beating second placed Ethan Hayter of Great Britain by nine seconds.
