Despite illness and a lack of team support in the closing kilometres Carrick on Suir's Sam Bennett still managed an impressive result on the opening stage of the Four Days of Dunkirk.
The 23 year old was back at this team car receiving treatment for a stomach bug when the bunch split on the 167 kilometre stage and he had to bridge across alone.
In the closing sprint his sole remaining teammate crashed leaving the Team NetApp Endura rider to fend for himself, eventually taking 5th behind defending champion Arnaud Damare of the Francois de Jeux team.
