Injured Cavendish crashes again at Giro d’Italia but finishes stage

TOPSHOT Astana Qazaqstan Teams British rider Mark Cavendish falls on the Valico di Chiunzi during the sixth stage of the Giro dItalia 2023 cycling race 162 km between Naples and Naples on May 11 2023 Photo by Luca Bettini AFP Photo by LUCA BETTINIAFP via Getty Images
Mark Cavendish goes down on stage 6 (Image credit: LUCA BETTINIAFP via Getty Images)

More than 20 minutes after Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) claimed the victory on stage 6 of the Giro d’Italia, the sight of Mark Cavendish pedalling a solitary path towards the Astana Qazaqstan team bus made it clear that this had been a second successive, tough day at the office for the British sprint champion.

Following stage 5’s dramatic late, high-speed crash, Cavendish had already made it clear at the stage 6 start that although he was not badly injured, he was uncertain how the day would play out.  

Alasdair Fotheringham

Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The IndependentThe GuardianProCycling, The Express and Reuters.