MATERA, Italy — Overall leader Mads Pedersen made it three wins out of five at this year's Giro d'Italia as he won a bunch sprint at the end of the fifth stage on Wednesday.
Pedersen just managed to edge out Edoardo Zambanini in a finish that was so close the Lidl-Trek rider had to ask a teammate: ''Did I win? Are you sure?''
Tom Pidcock was third at the end of the 151-kilometer (94-mile) route from Ceglie Messapica to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Matera, which is renowned for its ''Sassi,'' or ancient cave dwellings.
The 29-year-old Pedersen also won two of the three opening stages in Albania to take the leader's pink jersey back to Italy.
''Now it's really incredible and to win in this jersey as well, it's insane and it's way more than I ever dreamt about," Pedersen said. ''What a Giro we have and what a team I have around me.''
With the bonus seconds Pedersen picked up, the Danish cyclist extended his lead over pre-race favorite Primoz Roglic to 17 seconds, with Mathias Vacek another seven seconds back.
With a kilometer to go, Pedersen appeared too far back but he managed to get up to the front before a late corner and then got a great lead out from Vacek.
Pedersen then launched his final sprint early and just barely held off Zambanini, who almost managed to beat him after coming up along the barriers.
