The British cyclist Mark Cavendish snapped up a second sprint stage win in the Giro d'Italia before confirming that he is pulling out of the race.
The HTC-Highroad rider avoided a late crash in the bunch to outpower a group of around 15 riders and seal his second victory in three days.
With the race tackling the first of three stages in the Dolomites mountain range tonight, Cavendish confirmed at the finish line in Ravenna that he would be quitting to get some rest before the Tour de France.
Spain's Alberto Contador remains the overall leader for a fourth successive day but says he expects attacks in the mountain stages.
The Giro d'Italia finishes on May 29th in Milan.
