Nicolas Roche finishes third as Egan Bernal retains Giro d’Italia pink jersey

Nicholas Roche finished third in Thursday's stage 18 of the Giro d’Italia on a day where Alberto Bettiol took a fine stage win

Ireland's Nicolas Roche: Came third in Thursday's stage 18 of the Giro d'Italia

Nicolas Roche came tantalisingly close to making it back-to-back victories for the Irish at the Giro d’Italia but ran out of legs at the end of an absorbing stage 18.

The 36-year Dubliner was aiming to follow in the footsteps of his cousin Dan Martin who took a superb solo victory a day earlier atop the Sega di Ala climb, but was no match for eventual winner Alberto Bettiol of EF Education-Nippo.