As the video of the finish shows, two other riders just got the jump on Sam Bennett. And the Irish rider had to be content with a podium finish into Tel Aviv.
Sam Bennett will have to wait a little bit longer for his first career Grand Tour stage win, having taken 3rd on stage 2 of the Giro today.
The Carrick-on-Suir man rode a very strong finale, but left it a little late in the final dash to the line.
He was marshaled very well by Bora-hansgrohe lead-out man Rudi Selig. And just before the sprint started Bennett looked ideally placed.
However, Italian ride Jakob Mareczko (Willier Triestina) opened the sprint early, coming from behind Bennett.
Elia Viviani (QuickStep) was already Bennett's wheel at that stage. And as Mareczko passed him he jumped from Bennett's wheel onto the back of his compatriot.
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It meant both riders went past Sam Bennett with their sprint underway. And so the Irishman was playing catch up.
A big gap opened between Bennett and the leading pair, and while he was closing on them the line came too early for him.
In the end, Viviani won it very well after 167km from Haifa to Tel Aviv. He looked like the victor from the moment his sprinted started.
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However, Bennett very nearly took the runner-up slot, simply running out of road to do so.
He had already beaten Viviani earlier this season, to win Race Melbourne, but today the Italian was simply too fast.
However, Sam Bennett may get another chance as early as tomorrow when another sprint is expected.
Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing) took the intermediate sprint. And because he was just two seconds down on Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) after the opening TT, he is the new race leader.
More to follow.
ELIA VIVIANI! Italiaans succes in de tweede etappe van de Giro! De grote favoriet maakt het waar! #Giro101 #Giro pic.twitter.com/RV2r3VJn4h
— Eurosport Nederland (@Eurosport_NL) May 5, 2018
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