Bennett cut the line ahead of second-placed Trek-Segafredo Dane Mads Pedersen and third-placed Alpecin Belgian Tim Merlier.

This is the first major victory this season for Bennett, after his victory over Eschborn - Frankfurt in May.

It is also the fourth stage victory for the Irish sprinter on the Spanish circuit, but the first for two years.

"I knew I could do it again, it was a matter of legs," savored the Irishman at the finish line.

And it is Teunissen who will wear the red jersey of overall leader in his country on Sunday for the third and final stage in the Netherlands, around Breda.

“This morning, the guys told me that if Primoz (Roglic) arrived quietly in the last kilometers, that I would have no worries, that I could sprint. I would like to thank them for that, reacted the sprinter who will join the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert formation from next season.

"It is special"

"The yellow jersey is something special, but the red jersey, in these conditions, in my own country, with all the people cheering me on the sides, it's really something special", said greeted the former wearer of the yellow jersey on the Tour de France 2019 on the line.

Before the final packing, the day was rather calm.

Five riders, including Frenchman Thibault Guernalec, tried to escape 150 kilometers from the finish, and counted up to five minutes ahead of the peloton.

They were almost caught a hundred kilometers from the line, but continued to collaborate to keep their tiny lead, before finally being swallowed up about fifty kilometers from the finish.

In the final, the Basque veteran Luis Angel Maté (38) tried his luck alone, but did not last long in front of the trains of the teams trying to place their sprinters.

A fall enamelled the last hectometres, without doing much damage.

Robert Gesink, in red on Saturday after the Jumbo-Visma victory the day before, finished the stage in 129th place, and fell to 40th overall.

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On Sunday, the riders will tackle the third and final stage in the Netherlands, before reaching the Basque Country during Monday's rest day.

This long third stage (193.5 km), which starts and ends in Breda, will again be available to sprinters, with a very flat profile.

© 2022 AFP