Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) won the bunch sprint at the end of the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro in Germany on Tuesday.
Irishman Bennett took the victory after the jury studied the finish-line photo, which showed that he beat German Phil Bauhaus (Team Sunweb) by a tyre's width in the UCI 1.HC-ranked race.
André Greipel (Lotto-Soudal) rounded out the podium in third place at the end of the 198.7km event that started in Wadersloh and finished in Münster. Fellow German Marcel Kittel (Quick-Step Floors) finished fourth.
It's Bennett's sixth win of the season after he took a stage of Paris-Nice, two stages of the Tour of Slovenia and two in the Czech Cycling Tour.
Before the bunch sprint was set up, the peloton had to catch a four-man escape group comprising former time trial world champion Tony Martin (Katusha-Alpecin), Luca Henn (Lotto-KernHaus), Etienne Van Empel (Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij) and Carl Soballa (LKT Team Brandenburg).
Watch: Tech of the Month
Martin and Soballa were the last two riders in the break as they were caught with 20 kilometres remaining.
One noteworthy result was Alexander Kristoff in seventh place – it was the Norwegian's last race in Katusha-Alpecin colours as he has signed with UAE Team Emirates for 2018.
Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) was also present in the race as he continues his comeback from a crash at the Tour de France, where he fractured his shoulder blade. The Manxman finished in 28th place.
Result
Sparkassen Münsterland Giro 2017, 198.7km
1. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe, in 4-35-27
2. Phil Bauhaus (Ger) Team Sunweb
3. André Greipel (Ger) Lotto-Soudal
4. Marcel Kittel (Ger) Quick-Step Floors
5. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) LottoNL-Jumbo
6. Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe, at same time
7. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha-Alpecin, at 1 sec
8. Roy Jans (Bel) WB Veranclassic Aqua Protect
9. Andre Looij (Ned) Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij
10. Nicola Toffali (Ita) 0711 Cycling, at same time
