Walter Bénéteau

{{Infobox cyclist

| name = Walter Bénéteau

| image = Walter beneteau.jpg

| caption = Walter Bénéteau in 2006

| birth_date = {{birth date|1972|7|28|df=yes}}{{cite web |title=Walter Beneteau - Player Profile - Cycling |url=https://www.eurosport.com/cycling/walter-beneteau_prs104934/person.shtml |website=Eurosport |access-date=29 September 2022 |language=en}}

| birth_place = Les Essarts, Vendée, France{{cite web |title=Walter Bénéteau |url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/walter-beneteau |website=www.procyclingstats.com |access-date=29 September 2022}}

| death_date = {{death date and age|2022|12|10|1972|7|28|df=yes}}[https://www.ouest-france.fr/pays-de-la-loire/les-herbiers-85500/les-herbiers-walter-beneteau-un-cycliste-au-grand-coeur-s-en-est-alle-dce68e30-7a1e-11ed-9d26-38de0bd0b7b4 Les Herbiers. Walter Bénéteau, un cycliste au grand cœur s'en est allé] {{in lang|fr}}

| death_place = Bali, Indonesia

| height = 1.75 m

| weight = 67 kg

| currentteam = {{cite web |title=Walter BENETEAU |url=https://www.uci.org/rider-details/11158 |website=UCI |access-date=29 September 2022 |language=en}}

| discipline = Road

| role = Rider

| ridertype = Sprinter

| amateuryears1 = 1991–1999

| amateurteam1 = Vendée U

| proyears1 = 1995

| proteam1 = {{UCI team code|CAS|1995}} (stagiaire)

| proyears2 = 2000–2006

| proteam2 = {{UCI team code|TDE|2000}}

}}

Walter Bénéteau (28 July 1972 – 10 December 2022){{cite web|url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-route/Actualites/L-ancien-coureur-professionnel-walter-beneteau-est-mort/1369603|title=L'ancien coureur professionnel Walter Beneteau est mort|date=11 December 2022}} was a French professional cyclist. He raced in every Tour de France from 2000 until 2006.{{cite web | url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-route/Actualites/L-ancien-coureur-professionnel-walter-beneteau-est-mort/1369603 | title=L'Ancien coureur professionnel Walter Bénéteau est mort }}{{cite web |title=Grand tour starts Walter Bénéteau |url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/rider/walter-beneteau/statistics/grand-tour-starts |website=www.procyclingstats.com |access-date=29 September 2022}}

Career

Stage 1 of the 2006 Tour de France started with a seven-man break-away with Bénéteau being the last man caught with 7km to go after spending 177km out in front.{{cite web |title=Stage 1 wrap-up |url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/stage-1-wrap-up/ |website=cyclingnews.com |access-date=29 September 2022 |language=en |date=3 July 2006}} During Stage 6 Bénéteau was hit in the face by Spaniard David de la Fuente causing his glasses and helmet to go flying.{{cite web |title=Fisticuffs over mountain points? |url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/fisticuffs-over-mountain-points/ |website=cyclingnews.com |access-date=29 September 2022 |language=en |date=7 July 2006}} Then in Stage 9 Bénéteau was part of an initial 3-man break-away, caught with only 10km to the finish line.{{cite web |title=Tour de France 2006: Stage 9 Results |url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-2006/stage-9/results/ |website=cyclingnews.com |access-date=29 September 2022 |language=en |date=20 July 2006}} During this stage he won all three intermediate sprint points, moving him to 23rd in the Points classification.{{cite web |title=Tour de France 2006 Stage 9 results |url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-de-france/2006/stage-9-points |website=www.procyclingstats.com |access-date=29 September 2022}} Bénéteau's final Grand Tour was the 2006 Vuelta a España; he finished first in the main peloton bunch sprint in stage 11, 15 minutes down on winner Egoi Martínez.{{cite web |title=Vuelta a España 2006 Stage 11 results |url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/vuelta-a-espana/2006/stage-11 |website=www.procyclingstats.com |access-date=29 September 2022}}{{cite web |title=61st Vuelta a España 2006: Stage 11 Results |url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/vuelta-a-espana-2006/stage-11/results/ |website=cyclingnews.com |access-date=29 September 2022 |language=en |date=6 September 2006}} He finished 83rd overall in his final Grand Tour.{{cite web |title=61st Vuelta a España 2006: Stage 21 Results |url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/vuelta-a-espana-2006/stage-21/results/ |website=cyclingnews.com |access-date=29 September 2022 |language=en |date=17 September 2006}}{{cite web |title=Vuelta a España 2006 Stage 21 results |url=https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/vuelta-a-espana/2006/gc/result/result |website=www.procyclingstats.com |access-date=29 September 2022}} Bénéteau announced he would retire after his contract ended with {{UCI team code|TDE|2006}}.{{cite web |last1=Prell |first1=Monika |title=Bénéteau ends career |url=https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/beneteau-ends-career/ |website=cyclingnews.com |access-date=29 September 2022 |language=en |date=8 January 2007}}{{cite web |title=Saturday's EuroFile: Bénéteau calls it quits; Dessel, Gerrans for Tour Down Under |url=https://www.velonews.com/news/road/saturdays-eurofile-beneteau-calls-it-quits-dessel-gerrans-for-tour-down-under/ |website=VeloNews.com |access-date=29 September 2022 |language=en |date=30 November 2006}}

Death

Bénéteau died on 10 December 2022 in a hotel room in Bali, Indonesia. The circumstances of his death have not yet been released by local authorities.[https://www.ouest-france.fr/pays-de-la-loire/les-herbiers-85500/les-herbiers-walter-beneteau-un-cycliste-au-grand-coeur-s-en-est-alle-dce68e30-7a1e-11ed-9d26-38de0bd0b7b4 Les Herbiers. Walter Bénéteau, un cycliste au grand cœur s'en est allé] {{in lang|fr}}

Major results

Sources:

;1996

: 3rd Tro-Bro Léon

;1997

: 1st Tour du Finistère

;1999

: 7th Tour du Doubs

;2000

: 1st Châteauroux Classic

: 1st Boucles de l'Aulne

: 3rd GP Ouest-France

: 3rd Trophée des Grimpeurs

: 10th Tour de Berne

;2001

: 2nd Road race, National Road Championships

;2002

: 2nd Tour de Vendée

: 2nd Tro-Bro Léon

: 8th Trophée des Grimpeurs

;2003

: 1st Boucles de l'Aulne

: 3rd La Poly Normande

: 8th Overall Tour du Limousin

: 8th Grand Prix d'Ouverture La Marseillaise

: 8th Grand Prix de Wallonie

: 9th Tour de Vendée

;2004

: 9th Road race, National Road Championships

;2005

: 3rd Bordeaux-Caudéran

;2006

: 2nd Boucles de l'Aulne

: 4th Trophée des Grimpeurs

=Grand Tour general classification results timeline=

Sources:

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
scope="col" \| Grand Tour ! scope="col" \| 2000 ! scope="col" \| 2001 ! scope="col" \| 2002 ! scope="col" \| 2003 ! scope="col" \| 2004 ! scope="col" \| 2005 ! scope="col" \| 2006
style="text-align:center;" ! scope="row" \| {{cjersey\|pink}} Giro d'Italia \|— \|— \|— \|— \|— \|105 \|—
style="text-align:center;" ! scope="row" \| {{cjersey\|yellow}} Tour de France \|71 \|42 \|117 \|59 \|102 \|68 \|109
style="text-align:center;" ! scope="row" \| {{cjersey\|gold}} Vuelta a España \|— \|— \|— \|— \|— \|— \|83

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

scope="col" | Grand Tour

! scope="col" | 2000

! scope="col" | 2001

! scope="col" | 2002

! scope="col" | 2003

! scope="col" | 2004

! scope="col" | 2005

! scope="col" | 2006

style="text-align:center;"

! scope="row" | {{cjersey|pink}} Giro d'Italia

|—