Sam Bennett breaks into early charge to win stage 12 of the Giro d'Italia

Bora-Hansgrohe's Irishman had time to check over his shoulder before putting in a final push

Sam Bennett wins stage 12 of the 2018 Giro d'Italia (Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) won stage 12 of the Giro d'Italia 2018, taking it upon himself to launch an early sprint which swept up two last minute breakaways on the pit lane finish of Imola motor racing circuit.

The 213 kilometre stage from Osimo to Imola was almost entirely flat, with only a minor blip at the mid distance and a climb which reached its peak with under 10km to go.

Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Michelle Arthurs-Brennan

Michelle Arthurs-Brennan the Editor of Cycling Weekly website. An NCTJ qualified traditional journalist by trade, Michelle began her career working for local newspapers. She's worked within the cycling industry since 2012, and joined the Cycling Weekly team in 2017, having previously been Editor at Total Women's Cycling. Prior to welcoming her daughter in 2022, Michelle raced on the road, track, and in time trials, and still rides as much as she can - albeit a fair proportion indoors, for now.