French rider Arnaud Demare made back-to-back stage wins in the Giro d'Italia bicycle race on Thursday, and pipped Australian Caleb Ewan in a photo finish on the line after the 192km ride from Palmi to Scalea in the southern Calabria region.

Diego Rosa led for most of the 192-kilometre ride from Palmi to Scalea following a solo attack, but the Italian was reeled in by the peloton inside the final 30 kilometers.

Cavendish kicked off the ensuing sprint finish, and the 'Manx Missile" was passed by Ewan in the final meters before Demare swung past the Australian just before the finishing line.

Demare, riding for Groupama-FDJ, claimed his seventh stage win, becoming the most successful French rider in the race around Italy ahead of legends Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault, who have six each.

"It was very tight. I had the feeling that I had won but it was hot so I waited for the photo-finish," said Demare. "It was right on the line. I felt like I was in front but you never know. I’m really happy. We knew it was going to be really close. I threw the bike and that was the difference."

The Frenchman sits down in 133rd place in the general classification despite his heroics, more than half-an-hour adrift of overall leader Juan Pedro Lopez of Spain.

The seventh stage is a grueling 196km ride between Diamante and Potenza including four climbs between the Calabrian coast inland to Basilicata with a summit finish.

(With input from AP)