McEwen wants Giro stage 13

By Gregor Brown in Carpi

Australian Robbie McEwen is hoping to add another Giro d'Italia stage to his dozen career wins in the race, but has just one chance before his planned departure on Saturday. The Silence-Lotto rider continues despite the after-effects of his crash in stage 11 to Cesena. He crashed early on into that rain-soaked stage, but still wants to try to take his first sprint win in the 91st edition on Friday.

McEwen finished third in the sprint to Carpi on Thurdsay's 12th stage, which won by Italy's Daniele Bennati (Liquigas). He proved that his instincts for getting into position were still there, even though he was not able to hold the wheel of his rival out of the final bend with 200 metres to go in the 172-kilometre stage.

"I have a sore [right] knee, sore leg," he revealed to Cyclingnews the morning of Thursday's stage through Italy's Emilia Romagna. "I've got bruises all over me; I have a sore back. Today and tomorrow are the reasons I have come to the race, so I've got to try to make the best of it even though I am not feeling 100 percent."

He described his crash during the day that saw many riders hit the pavement. "I crashed into a ditch and then across a concrete driveway," he remarked. "I landed on my [left] shoulder; my whole left side, but also hit my right leg on the edge of the concrete driveway. It is giving me a fair bit of problems, but I will see if I can do something at the end of today."

While he was disappointed to come in third behind Bennati and High Road's Mark Cavendish, the 35-year-old will seek number 13 on Friday before returning to his wife and child in Belgium, near Brugge, on Saturday.