Sam Bennett claims third podium finish at Giro d’Italia

Irish rider in third spot again as Fernando Gaviria secures his third stage win

Ireland’s Sam Bennett claimed a third podium finish in this year’s  Giro d’Italia on stage 12 to Reggio Emilia. Photograph: Alessandro Di Meo/EPA
Ireland’s Sam Bennett claimed a third podium finish in this year’s Giro d’Italia on stage 12 to Reggio Emilia. Photograph: Alessandro Di Meo/EPA

Ireland's Sam Bennett brought up a hat-trick of podium finishes on stage 12 of the Giro d'Italia, finishing third for a third time in this year's race on the 229km run to Reggio Emilia.

Indeed it was a day for trebles as Colombia's Fernando Gaviria sprinted to victory to claim a third stage win. The Quick Step-Floors rider also won the fifth stage in which Bennett finished third and was ahead of Bennett in second on stage seven.

Italian Jakub Mareczko finished second in the sprint finish on Thursday.

It was another impressive performance from Colombian Gaviria, a former two-time Omnium world champion on the track, who is competing in the first Grand Tour of his career.

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There was no change at the top of the overall standings with Sunweb's Tom Dumoulin preserving his two minutes and 23 second lead over Movistar's Nairo Quintana, with Bauke Mollema (Trek-Segafredo) in third.