Copenhagen - World champion Mark Cavendish showed his sprint rivals he is still the man to beat as he won the second stage of the Giro d'Italia 206km around Herning on Sunday.
American Taylor Phinney survived a late crash to hold onto the leaders' pink jersey.
Phinney lost his chain with about 8km left but his BMC team worked hard to bring him back into the peloton before the final sprint began.
There was another crash a few hundred metres from the line that took out some of the sprint contenders but Cavendish was in the right place and kept his cool to take victory.
Australian Matthew Goss was second with Frenchman Geoffrey Soupe taking third.
Provisional result and overall standings after the 206km second stage of the Giro d'Italia starting and finishing in Herning, Denmark on Sunday:
1. Mark Cavendish (Britain / Team Sky) 4:53:12" 2. Matthew Goss (Australia / Orica) same time 3. Geoffrey Soupe (France / FDJ) 4. Tyler Farrar (U.S. / Garmin) 5. Roberto Ferrari (Italy / Androni Giocattoli) 6. Mark Renshaw (Australia / Rabobank) 7. Thor Hushovd (Norway / BMC Racing) 8. Daniele Bennati (Italy / RadioShack) 9. William Bonnet (France / FDJ) 10. Geraint Thomas (Britain / Team Sky)
Overall standings:
1. Taylor Phinney (U.S. / BMC Racing) 5:03:38" 2. Geraint Thomas (Britain / Team Sky) +9" 3. Alex Rasmussen (Denmark / Garmin) +13" 4. Manuele Boaro (Italy / Saxo Bank) +15" 5. Gustav Larsson (Sweden / Vacansoleil) +22" 6. Ramunas Navardauskas (Lithuania / Garmin) 7. Brett Lancaster (Australia / Orica) +23" 8. Marco Pinotti (Italy / BMC Racing) +24" 9. Jesse Sergent (New Zealand / RadioShack) +26" 10. Nelson Oliveira (Portugal / RadioShack) +27" 11. Tomas Vaitkus (Lithuania / Orica) 12. Mark Cavendish (Britain / Team Sky) 13. Stef Clement (Netherlands / Rabobank) +28" 14. Robert Hunter (South Africa / Garmin) 15. Jack Bauer (New Zealand / Garmin)