High Road's Mark Cavendish survived another chaotic dash to the line to win stage 4 of the Giro d'Italia on Tuesday.
Photo: Graham Watson

Gerolsteiner's Robert Forster crossed second and Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) third. Franco Pellozotti (Liquigas) retained the overall lead.

"This is my finest victory," Cavendish said. "It was the result of my team's work which kept me surrounded over the last 20km. The wind was blowing hard and Bennati went off at a good time, but I was able to follow him and overtake him.

"In terms of the sprinters' hierarchy I reckon I'm among the best."

Pellizotti was pleased as well.

"I'm the happiest man in the world,” he said, adding that while he hopes to defend the maglia rosa in Wednesday's fifth stage, a 203km run from Belvedere Marittimo to Contursi Terme, the finale seemed better suited to Saunier Duval's Riccardo Riccò or LPR's Danilo Di Luca.

Today's stage, a windy, damp 183km drive north from Pizzo Calabro to Catanzaro-Lungomare, was marked by a kilometer-zero attack from Rik Verbrugghe (Cofidis), sitting 184th overall at 18:54. The Belgian built a lead of more than 10 minutes and stayed out front until Liquigas, Milram, High Road, Euskaltel-Euskadi and finally Quick Step started chopping away at his lead.

As world champion Paolo Bettini's teammates set a relentless pace on the final climb into Catanzaro, Verbrugghe's legs were leaving him, and he was swept up just short of the summit, less than 20km from the finish.

The Belgian said afterwards that it was the first time in 13 years as a pro that he had pulled such a move. "It may be crazy, but to do this job, it takes a bit of madness," he said.

Bettini and teammate Kevin Seeldrayers were among the riders launching futile attacks in the final kilometers, but the sprinters' teams would not be denied. LPR took a turn at the front, as did High Road, Lampre, Milram and Liquigas, grinding away into a head wind.

Liquigas led the way around a tight right-hand bend, hoping to launch Pellizotti to a second stage win. But then, as the sprinters uncorked the final dash to the line, Nick Nuyens (Cofidis) appeared to unclip in mid-pack, hitting the deck and scattering riders across the road.

The Cofidis rider left the race in an ambulance, and the preliminary diagnosis was a broken shoulder blade.

For complete coverage of the 2008 Giro d'Italia and all of your competitive cycling news go to http://www.velonews.com.  

—Agence France Presse contributed to this report.