Britain's Mark Cavendish survived a late pile-up to claim victory in stage four of the Giro d'Italia on Tuesday.

The High Road rider avoided a crash in the final kilometre to finish the 183-km course from Pizzo Calabro to Catanzaro-Lungomare in four hours 49 minutes nine seconds, with Germany's Robert Forster (Gerolsteiner) second and stage three winner Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) third.

Another Liquigas rider, Franco Pellozotti, retained the race leader's pink jersey.

Cavendish, 22, who hails from the Isle of Man, was in the chasing group which reeled in long-time leader Rik Verbrugghe before proving strongest on the flat at the death.

Belgian Verbrugghe hit the front just 15km in and, helped by his Confidis team-mates, put further distance between himself and the peloton before the climb up Passo di Pietra Spada, increasing his lead to over eight minutes by the ascent.

He lost a number of seconds on the climb but regained them and more on the descent as he extended his advantage over the chasing group to 10 minutes 50 seconds with 75km to go.

Verbrugghe's lead could not last, though, and was quickly eroded as he tired before he was eventually passed 19km from the line.

The overcast conditions had threatened to put pay to the mass sprint finish the spectators had hoped for, but it did not prove the case.

Cavendish, neatly placed on the wheels of Bennati and ready to attack, stayed on his bike as a number of his challengers hit the floor in a spectacular pile-up before powering home.

Wednesday's fifth stage sees the riders travel the 203km from Belvedere Marittimo to Contursi Terme.

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