Caleb Ewan sprinted to victory in a chaotic finish to stage fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia which saw Mikel Landa abandon the race and Pavel Sivakov also suffer a heavy crash.
Lotto Soudal rider Ewan had the pace to burst away from heavy traffic and claim the fourth Giro stage win of his career ahead of Giacomo Nizzolo (Team Qhubeka Assos) and Elia Viviani (Cofidis).
The Australian's win in Cattolica on Wednesday was overshadowed by accidents in the closing stages of the 177-kilometre route from Modena.
Landa and Sivakov went down heavily in separate incidents, with the Spaniard taken to hospital after being unable to get back on his feet.
Bahrain Victorious rider Landa looked in great pain as he was treated on the roadside before an ambulance arrived.
Fellow general classification contender Sivakov crashed in the final 15km and although he was able to get back on his bike, it remains to be seen if the Russian will be able to continue.
Sivakov (Ineos Grenadiers) appeared to touch wheels with a team-mate as his hopes of winning the Giro evaporated in dramatic fashion.
Joe Dombrowski, leader of the king of the mountains, also crashed on his birthday a day after the American gave himself an early present by winning stage four.
Dombrowski had started the day second in the GC standings and his crash left Alessandro De Marchi with a 42-second advantage in the Maglia Rosa.
Francois Bidard was another rider who came off in a painful day for several riders, but a glorious one for Ewan after the peloton had reeled in Alexis Gougeard, Davide Gabburo and Simon Pellaud.
Ewan said: "The goal to start with was one [stage win], so I've done that, and I think you know me, I'm pretty hungry to win as much as I can, so maybe this is good confidence for the team and myself going forward and, you know, in the next few sprint stages it'll show."
STAGE RESULT
1. Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal) 4:07:01
2. Giacomo Nizzolo (Team Qhubeka Assos) same time
3. Elia Viviani (Cofidis) same time
4. Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) same time
5. Fernando Gaviria Rendon (UAE Team Emirates) same time
CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS
General Classification
1. Alessandro De Marchi (Israel Start-Up Nation) 17:57:45
2. Louis Vervaeke (Alpecin-Fenix) +00:42
3. Nelson Oliveira (Movistar) +00:48
Points Classification
1. Giacomo Nizzolo (Team Qhubeka Assos) 72
2. Elia Viviani (Cofidis) 68
3. Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Fenix) 59
King of the Mountains
1. Joe Dombrowski (UAE-Team Emirates) 18
2. Vincenzo Albanese (Eolo-Kometa Cycling Team) 16
3. Rein Taaramae (Intermarche–Wanty–Gobert Materiaux) 13