Irishman Sam Bennett edged out Dylan Groenewegen to make it three victories from three stages on the BinckBank Tour in Belgium on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old is the first rider to claim three straight wins in the event.

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Bennett almost saw his run ended by Jumbo-Visma's Groenewegen at the end of the 166.9km ride around Aalter, but held on by a tyre-width.

The Bora-Hansgrohe man now leads Belgian Jasper Philipsen and the Netherlands' Groenewegen by 20 seconds in the overall standings of the week-long race.

The third stage was also marked by a minute's silence observed by the peloton in memory of young Belgian cyclist Bjorg Lambrecht, who died last week after a fall during the Tour of Poland.

Thursday's fourth stage is a 96.2km hilly affair around Houffalize, which could prove decisive in the battle for the overall title.

Stage results:

1. Sam Bennett (IRL/BOR) 166.9 km in 3hrs 44min 45sec, 2. Dylan Groenewegen (NED/JUM) same time, 3. Jasper Philipsen (BEL/UAE) s.t., 4. Juergen Roelandts (BEL/MOV) s.t., 5. Florian Senechal (FRA/DEC) s.t., 6. Edward Theuns (BEL/TRE) s.t., 7. Timothy Dupont (BEL/WGG) s.t., 8. Jakub Mareczko (ITA/CCC) s.t., 9. Arnaud Demare (FRA/FDJ) s.t., 10. Amaury Capiot (BEL/TSV) s.t.

Overall standings

1. Sam Bennett (IRL/Bora) 11hrs 16min 23sec, 2. Jasper Philipsen (BEL/UAE) at 20sec, 3. Dylan Groenewegen (NED/JUM) 20, 4. Lukasz Wisniowski (POL/CCC) 22, 5. Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (BEL/CCC) 22, 6. Lars Bak (DEN/DDT) 23, 7. Josef Cerny (CZE/CCC) 23, 8. Harry Tanfield (GBR/KAT) 23, 9. Edward Theuns (BEL/TRE) 24, 10. Robert Stannard (AUS/MIT) 24