Deceuninck-QuickStep sprinter Sam Bennett said he hopes to retain the Tour de France green jersey in 2021, adding that he will also expand his horizons by targeting one-day races in the upcoming season.

Originally from Ireland, Bennett enjoyed a strong debut season with the Belgian team in 2020 after six years with Bora-Hansgrohe. He won seven races, including two stages at the Tour de France, one stage at the Vuelta a España, and one stage at the Tour Down Under.

At Deceuninck-QuickStep's preseason media day, Bennett shared his goals for the new season, his eighth as a professional.

"I don't know if I can surpass that. But I want to go back and stage again and see how I can fight to defend the green jersey."

"I want to compete in events like Milan-San Remo and win the One Day World Tour. That's my ambition for this season."

Milano-San Remo is quite a challenge, given that a small group of late attackers has been winning in recent years, but several other World Tour races fit the bill.

These include Ghent-Wevelgem, where Bennett finished 12th in 2014, the Bretagne Classic, in which he has competed twice, and Eschborn-Frankfurt and EuroEyes Cyclassics Hamburg in Germany.

It remains to be seen what Bennett's schedule will look like, but Milan-San Remo and Ghent-Wevelgem are scheduled. He has confirmed that the partnership will continue this season.

"Basically, Sam Bennett and I had a very good partnership last year, so we are working on a program together. We'll see if we can continue that."

"Having Mark Cavendish back on our team is exciting for everyone to see how he develops and which races he competes in.

Bennett was also enthusiastic about Cavendish's return to the "Wolfpack" after five years spent at Dimension Data and Bahrain McLaren. He said that having Cavendish on the team helps, especially with the mental aspect of racing.

"I think he can learn a lot about mental approach and how to handle pressure," Bennett said. Bennett added, "I think he's a guy who has lived up to expectations. If he wins two stages, people will say it's a bad Grand Tour for him."

"He sets the bar really high for himself, so there are always expectations. You can learn from his experience, his mind frame, and the way he approaches big races."