Catanzaro-Lungomare, Italy - Britain's Marc Cavendish won the fourth stage of the Giro d'Italia Tuesday in a sprint finish.

Germany's Robert Foerster from Team Gerolsteiner was second at the end of the 183-kilometer stretch from Pizzo Calabro to Catanzaro-Lungomare.

Third was the previous day's stage winner in Sicily, Italian Daniele Bennati of the Liquigas team.

His Italian team-mate, Franco Pellizotti, retained the overall lead.

Cavendish, who rides for the High Road team, reached the finish in an unofficial time of four hours, 49 minutes and nine seconds.

A mass crash caused by Belgian rider Nick Nuyens a kilometre from the finish broke up the leading field. Nuyens was taken to hospital for treatment.

Compatriot Rik Verbrugghe of Cofidis led in a solo breakaway until kilometre 165 in what his team said was a protest action against badly organized transfer during the night over the Strait of Messina.

Wednesday's fifth leg is a 203-kilometre stage from Belvedere Marittimo to Contursi Terme. (dpa)