"He ends the Giro with another huge win!"@Sammmy_Be takes the final stage victory in Rome 💪 #Giro101 pic.twitter.com/853hCgx6Mh
— Eurosport UK (@Eurosport_UK) May 27, 2018
IRELAND’S SAM BENNETT (Bora-Hansgrohe) sprinted to a thrilling victory in the 21st and final stage of the Giro d’Italia after pipping four-stage winner Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors) at the line.
The Carrick-on-Suir rider this evening picked up his third stage win at this year’s race, moving him clear of Stephen Roche whose two Giro stage wins he matched on 17 May.
Bennett, 27, sprinted to victory in 2:50:49, coming up trumps after Quick-Step had set the pace for most of the stage, which involved 10 circuits of 11.5km around Rome.
Favourite Viviani was perfectly led out by two teammates as he approached the final dash for the line, but he didn’t have the gas to hold Bennett off at the death.
🇮🇪 3rd win at the Giro for Sam Bennett after Praia a Mare and Imola. Now he is the most successful Irish rider in Giro’s history for stage wins, leaving at 2 Stephen Roche. #Giro101 pic.twitter.com/clGMFMcdFF
— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 27, 2018
It was Britain’s Chris Froome who emerged victorious overall.
Froome, 33, became the first Briton to win the race in the Giro’s 101-year history after a 115km closed circuit race through the streets of the Italian capital.
The Team Sky rider becomes just the third cyclist after France’s Bernard Hinault (1972/73) and Belgian Eddy Merckx (1982/83) to win all three Grand Tours in succession -— the Tour de France, Tour of Spain and the Giro d’Italia.
Froome finished ahead of defending champion Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) of the Netherlands in the overall standings, with Colombian Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) third.
© Agence France-Presse
