Relief, more than elation, is how Sam Bennett describes his first-ever grand tour stage victory, the first of three in this year’s Giro d’Italia.
The Carrick-on-Suir man would go on to claim two more in a memorable three weeks covering 3,572km of road, but it was that stage seven victory, a159km trek between Pizzo and Praia A Mare in the toe of Italy, which was meant the most.
It’s easy to understand that feeling when you look at the career to date of the 27-year-old.
"I never had luck with injuries," he understatedly told 2fm’s Game On programme. After leaving Irish shores in 2008, it has been a long road to get to where he is today.
He made the start line for the 2015 Tour de France, but his first grand tour ended at stage 17, though in truth was lucky to make it that far. A hernia meant he struggled to keep his food down and simply succumbed to exhaustion.
The following year preparation was "amazing", but a virus on day one saw the cyclist hospitalised and the loss of three kilos overnight. He persevered to the finish line, though injury meant he ended up as lantern rouge, the competitor in last place.
In last year’s Giro he finished third in the points classification, but again illness curtailed what he set out to achieve.
This year he had a clean bill of health and the Bora–Hansgrohe cyclist made his mark, adding two second and three third-place finishes along with the stage victories.
"It took me a long time to get here, but I wouldn’t change any of it. It is character building and has helped me get to where I am today," he said.
"I was getting to the age where you are getting older and have to do it now [fulfil potential]. I thought at 25, 26, I might have gotten my stage win. I was getting a lot of pressure from the team in previous years. I always showed potential.
"When I got my first stage win, the first thing I felt was relief. I could have slept for a week there and then."
For Bennett the enormity of his achievement is yet to fully sink in.
"When I was younger, I couldn’t have imagined I would have achieved this," and says stage seven laid the foundation for wins on stages 12 and on the final day in Rome.
"I’m still looking at YouTube videos. I can’t believe it happened"
"It broke on stage seven, I was absolutely delighted. To get another stage showed that I was meant I to be there and it wasn’t an accident or a lucky a sprint.
"To take the win coming into Rome, it was amazing. I’m still looking at YouTube videos. I can’t believe it happened."
Unfortunately for Bennett, he will not be partaking in either the Tour de France or the Vuelta later in the summer, but is focussed on different goals for the rest of the year.
"I would like to do another grand tour, but there are other guys that need to ride a grand tour and there are other races the team need results in.
"There are still some good opportunities and I will try and focus on them."
Not one to rest on his laurels, the sprinter knows that competition will force him to maintain his upward trajectory in the cut-throat business of professional cycling.
"There are always new sprinters coming through, there is always someone looking to take your spot. You are never finished learning. I try to keep the head down and keep improving."
