The Jumble Of Emotions That Is George Bennett
Stage 13 of the 2017 Tour de France was nothing short of an emotional rollercoaster – or should we say montagne russe émotionnelle – for Kiwi pro-cyclist George Bennett. The day initially kicked off on a positive note when cycling’s judiciary body overturned the decision taken earlier by race officials to punish Bennett by imposing a 20 second penalty as a result of his acceptance of a drinking bottle from road-side fans, during Stage 12.
Despite the good news and bright start to the 13th Stage, Bennett just could not seem to get his cycling legs on – falling far behind the race leaders during the last stretch of the 101km journey. Bennett ended up losing his rank among the Top 10 – having fallen into 11th place by the end of the stage, as a result of his poor performance.
Despite the setback, Bennett should not have had to face too much of an uphill battle to reclaim his spot in 10th position – with esteemed Spaniard Alberto Contador finishing the stage only about a minute ahead of the Kiwi from Nelson. And yet, this is not how it played out during Stages 14 and 15 – with the Kiwi now having fallen into 12th position overall.
If Bennett were to recover and regain 10th position – it will be the very first Top 10 Tour de France finish for New Zealand – certainly a goal worth giving it your all for. Bennett being a mere 30 seconds behind the rider currently in 10th position, the Kiwi remains optimistic.
A tad troublesome is the fact that Bennett seems to have picked up a cold during Stage 15. The Kiwi seemed positive and of the opinion that he would manage to shake the bug during the second rest day on Tour.
Froome Retains Yellow
Team Sky leader Chris Froome did not experience Stage 15 as being a day in the park either, having battled and survived a broken spoke at the foot of a very crucial climb on the Massif Central leg of the Tour. Despite the nerve-wrecking set-back, Froome managed to hold on to the lead, most probably thanks to the selfless act by team-member Michal Kwiatkowski of giving up his own back wheel in order to restore Froome’s hold on the yellow.
In a show of tremendous sportsmanship and team support, Kwiatkowski surrendered his back wheel to Froome when it became apparent that the team’s support car was lagging too far behind.
| # | Site | Bonus | Bet | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Betway |  | 5/5 | Up to $60 NZD | Bet now Review |
| 2 |  | Picklebet | | 4.9/5 | Login to see promotions | Bet now |
| 3 |  | Palmerbet | | 4.8/5 | 100% Match | Bet now |
More About Trent Wilson
Trent Wilson is OnlineBetting.nz’s resident sports news expert. He draws on his extensive sporting knowledge, his qualification in sports management and his passion for betting to provide the latest, most up to date information on sporting events in New Zealand and across the globe. Trent is a veritable treasure trove of sports information and has been betting online for several years. He prides himself in keeping his readers informed, and in always offering an unbiased standpoint that reflects exactly what’s going on in the sports world.
View Posts - Visit WebsiteYou May Also Like:
Chris Froome Held Back By Knee Injury
British four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome is being forced to push back his preparations for the new season by a knee injury. According to a comment made by Froome on his official YouTube channel, the cyclist damaged a tendon in his knee during a pre-season training session. He ….
Cycling Funding Impacted By Podmore Inquiry
The level of future funding made available to Cycling New Zealand will reportedly be determined by the outcome of the independent inquiry into the death of Olympic cyclist Olivia Podmore. Cycling NZ formed part of a group of eight top-ranked Kiwi sports to have its funding clarified on Friday. The ….
Inquest Begun Into Olivia Podmore’s Death
The death of Olympic cyclist Olivia Podmore has now led to a Coronial inquest. Assisting coroner Louella Dunn with her inquiry will be Cycling New Zealand as well as High Performance Sport NZ, as well as several friends and members of the deceased’s family. Podmore, only 24, passed away in ….
Independent Inquiry Following Podmore Death
An independent investigative inquiry has now been established for looking into the death of New Zealand Olympic cyclist Olivia Podmore. The inquiry has been formed by High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) and Cycling New Zealand (CNZ). The 24-year-old Podmore passed away last Monday of what is assumed to have ….
Bikers Approve Waikaia Mountain Bike Park
A new mountain bike park proposed for northern Southland has received the thumbs up from local bikers. The park, which was discussed in Waikaia on Wednesday evening by the Ardlussa Community Board, will be developed in the Waikaia Forest, and has at its heart the idea of giving the town ….