Thank you George!

At the beginning of January, when the European cycling season has not even started yet, a special day dawns for George Bennett. On the other side of the world, in New Zealand, the 25-year-old rider gets to pin the numbers on his new jersey. It is time for his first official race in the colours of his new team: Team LottoNL-Jumbo.

After the Tour Down Under he gets on a plane to Europe. His well-filled race schedule takes him to Belgium, France, Poland, Italy and Spain. In the Vuelta a España he shows that he can keep up with the best men, resulting in the fourth place in a challenging mountain stage. And there is cause for celebration in the hitherto lean year for Team LottoNL-Jumbo: teammate Bert-Jan Lindeman wins the seventh stage in fine fashion.

In 2016, George’s talent continues to blossom. In May, during the third stage of the Tour of California, the New Zealander takes his first podium finish of the season. George finishes in seventh place in the general classification. One month later, during the Critérium du Dauphiné, all the great classics riders are present because the Tour de France is just around the corner. In the prestigious mountain stages of the Dauphiné, George holds his own among the big guns. He presents himself more and more as a rider to be reckoned with.

August and September are dominated by the Vuelta a España, the last grand tour of the year. For George one more chance to show himself in a three-week race. This Vuelta confirms his development from domestique to shadow leader. The New-Zealander performs consistently, as evidenced by the fact that he finishes in the top thirty eleven times. George finishes fourth in the mountain stage to the Aubisque, won by Robert Gesink. It is also the first time he finishes in the top ten of a grand tour.

On and off the bike, George makes a name for himself more and more. In 2016, Team LottoNL-Jumbo is in total transformation. Indeed, there are some changes to be made within the team. Everyone gets to have their say. It results in the ‘Blanco Koers’, the current vision of Team Jumbo-Visma. George, in turn, holds up a mirror to the Dutchies about mentality and provides critical feedback on the actions and functioning of the team. His example of athletes with a great mentality? His compatriots from the All Blacks with the motto ‘Leave the jersey in a better place’.

2017 is the year of his first pro victory. After top ten finishes in the Abu Dhabi Tour, Tour of Catalonia and Tour of the Basque Country, George heads to the United States full of confidence. With, among others, Gesink, Koen Bouwman and Antwan Tolhoek at his side he is preparing for the twelfth edition of the Tour of California. George and Rafal Majka have an exciting battle in the two heavy mountain stages. Both riders frequently attack to shake off the other, but without success. The two know they are the strongest and keep looking at each other. Partly for this reason, it ends in an uphill sprint twice. George finishes just behind Majka, once in second and once in third place. After five stages the difference is only a handful of seconds. However, George decides the classification in his favour by riding his best time trial to date and by finishing fourth. All-round, the New Zealander is simply the best in the race. For George it is one of the most significant achievements of his career.

Two months after his success it is time for the biggest race of the year: The Tour de France. He shows that he can compete with the world’s best in this Tour. George shows his class, particularly during the grueling stages nine and twelve. Stage nine takes the peloton over the Grand Colombier and the Mont du Chat. George only drops out on the Mont du Chat when the strongest classification riders attack. He finishes seventh by winning the sprint of the second group. The twelfth stage goes even better. His eighth place is less good, but that result is distorted. George rides with the peloton all day and keeps up relatively quickly on the final climb. He has to pass only during the final uphill sprint, but he shows to be a rider to be reckoned with.

George traditionally starts 2018 in his home area. He finishes fourth at the New Zealand Championships and rides to 11th place at the Santos Tour Down Under. The right shape is immediately there - time to show what he can do in the European season.

During the spring and summer of 2018, the sun is shining brightly for George. The now 28-year-old New Zealander put down an impressive series of top ten finishes. And not in the least races. George finished ninth in the Tirreno-Adriatico, sixth in the Volta Ciclista de Catalunya, fifth in the Tour of the Alps, eighth in the Giro d’Italia and fourth in the Tour of Poland. The basis for this success is his consistency. George never fails, sticks with the best and regularly takes podium finishes. But an Italian priest threatened to throw a spanner in the works in the middle of the series of good results. A day before the Tour of the Alps, George explores a time trial for the Giro d’Italia. And not without consequences. The priest overlooks him and crashes into him with his car. Despite this, George starts in the multi-day race the next day. He shows his class by taking two podium places, despite the pain, and finishing fifth in the general classification.

At the end of the cycling season, George returns to his homeland, as he prefers to relax near his family. As a New Zealander who often makes the crossing to Europe, George is blessed with a special gift: jetlags have no hold on him. He frequently travels to Europe as late as possible, only to have a strong race right away. In 2019, George starts his European season in Paris-Nice. He immediately shows his excellent form and finishes sixth in the general classification.

For Team Jumbo-Visma, the 2019 Tour de France becomes one to always remember. George plays a vital role in this successful campaign. He lets the legs do the talking and drives the team to a higher level during the meetings. Throughout the Tour he is full of plans, energy and motivation. If anyone leaves his positive mark ‘on the bus’, it’s George. The New Zealander effortlessly carries this attractiveness into the race. During the first stage, the climber George does a long lead-out for Dylan Groenewegen on the flat. He also stays with the Dutchman after a crash had destroyed his chances for the first yellow jersey. Nevertheless, the victory of Mike Teunissen is a cause for celebration. The New-Zealander also does his bit in the team time trial, which the team ultimately wins. The most iconic moment takes place on the stage to the Tourmalet. There, George does a tremendous lead-out for Dutch leader Steven Kruijswijk. George stays with him the entire climb, gets involved in the front group and drops Kruijswijk one kilometre from the finish. It is one of the critical moments towards the final podium place for Kruijswijk.

A few weeks later, his second grand tour of the year is on the program, the Vuelta. Team Jumbo-Visma heads there with big ambitions. Leader Primoz Roglic and his teammates are ready to fight for the red jersey. Due to a broken pool, an unexpected water ballet on the road almost ruins their plans. Half the team goes down in the team time trial. Fortunately, the damage is not serious. A strong George pilots Roglic through the challenging Spanish hill and mountain stages in the first week. His excellent work helps Roglic reduce the gap with leader Nairo Quintana to just six seconds after nine stages. In the second race week, the team celebrates twice. After the rest day, the Team Jumbo-Visma leader takes the lead by winning the individual time trial. Sepp Kuss also shows his talent by winning the grueling fifteenth stage solo. After that beautiful day, Roglic’s margin is, also thanks to the substantial help of George, big enough to bring the red jersey in a controlled manner to Madrid during the last week. It may be clear who is the strongest. Roglic and Team Jumbo-Visma win the Vuelta for the first time!

George’s biggest dream? To become New Zealand’s road champion. The 2020 edition of the national championship is especially hilly in the first part, so that’s where he needs to make his move. George attacks early on and shakes off his last breakaway companion at forty kilometres from the finish. Yet, despite a great solo, he gets caught and loses the sprint. It was not to be (yet), but this course again shows George’s fighting spirit. He had been in the attack for more than one hundred kilometres and almost succeed, that’s hard to do for anyone.

Shortly after the national championships, the coronavirus makes the world to come to a halt. Riders train at home, don’t see each other anymore and races are cancelled. The question is who will come out of this strange period in good shape. George is one of the strongest riders at the restart of the cycling circus, as proven by his great results in the Italian one-day races. Before and during these races the New Zealander radiates a lot of self-confidence, bringing the team along in his spirit. Gran Piemonte goes perfectly. George remains strong when other teams take control, rides away on the second-to-last climb, and wins the prestigious semi-classic.

Three days later it is time for one of the five monuments: the Tour of Lombardy. George is again solid and fights for what he is worth during the 231 kilometre long race. The New-Zealander rides attractively joins other attacks and gives it his all. Other teams sometimes have more men along than him, but that doesn’t bother George. An attack by Jakob Fuglsang proves to be too powerful for him, but the second place is George’s. A stunning performance.

“Wasps were everywhere.” Signed: Richie Porte. In the last stage of the Tour de l’Ain, which is held between the Italian races because of the corona crisis, the Australian attempts to win the final classification. But a strong Team Jumbo-Visma parries all attacks. George is one of the wasps and he and his teammates pilot Roglic to the stage and final victory on the Colombier.

The Tour de l’Ain turns out to be a prelude to more. In the Tour de France the black-and-yellow formation shines. Once again, George plays a vital role for Roglic uphill. The Slovenian wins a stage, rides in the yellow jersey for twelve days and achieves four podium finishes. Wout van Aert also won two stages. There is no pressure on the team in mountain stages, and George puts the leaders in an ideal position. The outcome is not as we had hoped, but Team Jumbo-Visma dominates La Grande Boucle like never before.

Day one of the Vuelta a España 2020. A mountain stage. Roglic wins the stage and three riders of Team Jumbo-Visma finish in the top ten, including George. From the first day, the whole team is sharp. Again, he stays close to Roglic in many mountain stages and finishes in the general classification deservingly twelfth. George is an essential factor yet again. Roglic eventually takes four stage victories and wins the Vuelta for the second time in a row.

Six years after his debut in the same race, George makes his dream come true. Like the previous year, it took a solo, but George stays ahead and gets to wear the black and white champion’s jersey this time. The gap to the number two has increased to almost two minutes in the eight kilometre long solo. Talking about class.

The 2021 Tour of Lombardy proves to be George’s last race in the colours of Team Jumbo-Visma. After six beautiful years, his time with Team Jumbo-Visma comes to an end. George has meant a lot beyond his sporting achievements and will always have a special place in the team's heart. Thank you and all the best, George!