Sam Bennett admitted to a tendency to obsess over performance data, emphasizing that it threatens to disconnect him from the act of riding a bike and from his daily life.

The Irishman, who has kept a low profile since breaking up with his former team, Quick Step, last summer, gave an in-house interview to his new team, Beulah Hansgrohe, over the weekend.

A series of offbeat questions were posed, one of which was about the title of his autobiography.

"Chasing numbers. I don't know, maybe something like that," Bennett replied.

"I'm not riding a bike anymore, I'm just chasing numbers a lot of the time.

The influx of science and technology over the past 15 years has certainly changed the lifestyle of the professional cyclist. Bennett, however, seems content with that.

"I start training in the off-season, and of course it's hard at first, but when I see the results, when I see the data during training, that's the best motivation. [It's encouraging. I'm always chasing numbers, but that's the fun part. It's a lot of fun."

Nevertheless, Bennett acknowledged the threat of chasing numbers, revealing that he sometimes finds it difficult to separate it from the mindset of a professional cyclist.

"I get so focused on cycling that it takes up so much of my life that I forget every other aspect of it.

"I usually go for a drive, I'm a big gasoline lover, and I do anything that has to do with wheels. No matter where I am, at home or in my apartment, I just try to get out there. So when I'm not doing anything productive towards training or cycling, I try to take a break, which is often not the best thing to do to clear my head.

Bennett had a very successful two-year stint with Quick-Step, winning two stages and the green jersey at the 2020 Tour de France, after a knee injury and disagreement with team boss Patrick Lefebvre became an issue and ultimately ended in turmoil, He returned to Bora Hansgrohe in 2022.

While Lefebvre repeatedly attacked Bennett, the Irishman remained silent and made it his top priority to "really get back to the top level" for the upcoming season.

He cited the Milano-San Remo and World Championship road races as his main goals, but his biggest goal is a return to the Tour de France. Now 31, he is determined to achieve more of his career goals, which speaks to his comment that he is very focused on all aspects of his performance.

"I often get the feeling that I can improve in certain areas, and I would never forgive myself if I left an area of performance without giving it my all and doing my best to be the best.

"I have a fear that I will never be as good as I want to be. I think if I don't get it before I retire, maybe I won't be satisfied with my career. So I try to stay motivated and stay on my toes."