Sam Bennett’s efforts ended just before the final sprint at Tour de Pologne, won by Dutchman Olav Kooij, with Darren Rafferty safely through the nervy opening stage (Photo: Szymon Gruchalski)

Sam Bennett’s hopes of getting back into action with a big result, after a two-month break from racing, were dashed on the opening stage at Tour de Pologne when he crashed in the final. The Irishman appeared to come down quite heavily, with most of the other fallers crashing onto him.

His Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale team confirmed Bennett was caught in the crash, which ended his participation in the sprint. He rolled over the line in last place on the stage, after the fall with just under 2km to go, just as he looked well-placed for the sprint.

Bennett was close to the front, on the right of the peloton, when the crash occurred. It looked like one of the riders may have clipped a high kerb to their right, though it was unclear if Bennett or another rider was the first faller.

Either way, the crash appeared to be caused by a mishap rather than any severe movement in the bunch and Bennett looked like he took quite a knock. He was pictured sitting on the road after the incident, with the others who came down.

He was able to get back on his bike and finish the stage. As the incident occurred well inside the 3km safety zone, he lost no time in the general classification. The fact he has crashed, in what is his first race since the Giro d’Italia ended on June 1st, is a blow, both physically and mentally.

Sam Bennett, third from left, with his Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale team mates at the team presentation in Poland (Photo: Tomasz Smietana)

Today’s opening stage in Poland – which took the riders 154km from Wrocław to Legnica – looks like the only nailed-on bunch sprint of the race. And if today proves the only clear chance for the fast men, the crash will look even more costly in time.

Darren Rafferty (EF Education-EasyPost) is also riding Tour de Pologne and may get a chance for himself this week. In Poland he is racing on terrain that can suit him, including the TT on the final stage, though at 12.5km, that is perhaps a little on the short side for the Irishman.

However, the course in Poland generally is hilly and should suit ‘roadmen’ climbers like Rafferty. That starts tomorrow when the riders face 149.4km to Karpacz, featuring 2,200m of climbing, including a 3.1km hill, averaging 6.7 per cent, to the finish.

Today’s stage 1 bunch sprint, and first leader’s jersey of the race, was taken by Visma-Lease a Bike’s Olav Kooij from 21-year-old Frenchman Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step) and Jensen Plowright (Alpecin-Deceuninck).

Kooij secured the victory fair and square, though the lead-out he got from Matthew Brennan, one of the breakthrough young stars of the season, was clumsy, at best.

Britain’s Brennan got to the front with Kooij on his wheel with just a few hundred metres to go and then looked behind twice, before moving to his left. He was lucky not to cause a crash but derailed the sprint effort of Fernando Gaviria (Movistar Team).

🇵🇱🫨💥 El @Tour_de_Pologne es esto: tensión, caídas, altas velocidades y uno de los grandes dominadores del año

Olav Kooij, primer líder en Legnica ante uno de los ‘dinosaurios’ 🦖, Paul Magnier

📺 Hasta el domingo 10, vive la carrera en #E1 y @StreamMaxES pic.twitter.com/YyCdFfM2ng

— Eurosport.es (@Eurosport_ES) August 4, 2025