George Bennett showed his climbing skills in the heavy 16^th stage of the Vuelta a España on Monday. After spending a day in the break, the team LottoNL-Jumbo New Zealander finished fourth in what some called the ‘second queen stage of the race’.

Frank Schleck (Trek Factory Stage) won the stage. The Luxemburg rider and team Colombia’s Rodolfo Torres rode away from Bennett on the penultimate climb.

“I targeted this stage months ago,” Bennett said. “I’m satisfied with the fact that I was there to fight for the win, but obviously, I’m disappointed that I didn’t actually win.

“Schleck was just too strong, though. I was chasing full gas to get them back, but it wasn’t enough. However, stuff like this makes you stronger.”

Merijn Zeeman
“George fought for what he is worth and got involved in the battle for the stage win," Sports Director Merijn Zeeman said.

“He is still a young rider and has done pretty well, especially when you look at today’s profile. I think this is his best result in a grand tour so far. This is good considering his development.”

Zeeman was satisfied with the performance of the other riders, as well. Everyone arrived well on time. “Especially the younger guys rode strongly. When the race exploded, they were safe. They all feared today's stage, but they were able to maintain themselves properly. They showed that they have the ability to finish a grand tour.”

Rest day & TT
The riders will enjoy a rest day tomorrow and face a 38.7-kilometre time trial on Wednesday.

“Our riders now have two rest days,” Zeeman said. “After the TT, we’re going to explore our opportunities in the final four days.”