The Nationals were also Bennett’s final race of the early-season block which included races in Australia. His next known appointment is the Volta a Catulunya at the end of March, however Bennett expects to be at the start of either Trofeo Laigueglia or Strade Bianche already at the beginning of his European campaign.
“It’s a new approach and of course, you’re so motivated when you start back on the bike that you want to train really hard but it’s been quite deliberate to actually just rein it in a bit,” said Bennett. “It’s a long block, so you can’t be tired before you get there.”
New year, new start
Bennett has been long looking to turn a page in 2026. And with the national title, his cyclist spirit is buzzing to get stuck in the thick of action while sporting the typical Kiwi black-and-white colours throughout the season.
“I’m more motivated than I’ve been in the past. I think I have a good appreciation for how much of a privilege it is to be a bike racer,” said Bennett. “I think just being in a nice team, nice environment, good guys, you want to be around them, you want to perform for your teammates and for the staff. I think that helps a lot. Maybe I’ve got past a lot of the stresses of what it used to be, and I find it a really enjoyable thing to do.”
George Bennett alongside New Zealand’s 2024 champion Aaron Gate
The years in the peloton may be accumulating, but there is certainly no sense that Bennett is marking time. “I know the years are limited. Maybe I’ve only got three more years or something, so you start thinking – OK, I need to enjoy these.”
He then looks further ahead, but an idea of a regular 9-5 job doesn’t sit well with Bennett after having spent his entire life travelling with his bicycle: “I guess, I don’t think about it too much, and just enjoy that I’m here and focus on the processes… it fits my personality, of ticking the boxes, and the thought of going to work in an office is the scariest thing in the world.”