Cycling-Hat-trick of stage victories for Demare on Giro d'Italia

French champion Arnaud Demare claimed his third stage win in this year's Giro d'Italia when he prevailed at a canter in the seventh stage, a 143-km ride between Mantera and Brindisi on Friday. Portuguese Joao Almeida retained the overall leader's Maglia Rosa. "The work my team did was amazing," said Demare.

French champion Arnaud Demare claimed his third stage win in this year's Giro d'Italia when he prevailed at a canter in the seventh stage, a 143-km ride between Mantera and Brindisi on Friday. Demare, who had already won the fourth and sixth stages, benefitted from a perfect lead-out by his Groupama-FDJ team mates to beat triple world champion Peter Sagan by a bike length.

Australian Michael Matthews took third place. Portuguese Joao Almeida retained the overall leader's Maglia Rosa.

"The work my team did was amazing," said Demare. "I waited a little bit and I launched my sprint at the right moment."