Guardia Sanframondi (Italy) (AFP)

Australian Caleb Ewan, who wore the cyclamen jersey for the points classification, was forced to retire from the Giro in stage 8 between Foggia and Guardiasanframondi (south).

Ewan, whose retirement was initially attributed to a fall, stopped his Giro in the first hour of the race, launched on a very high basis.

The Italian Simone Petilli is the runner who fell, in a tunnel about 35 kilometers after the start of this stage, according to his Intermarché team.

Petilli was able to continue the race and regain his place in the peloton.

Ewan therefore left the Giro the day after his second stage success.

The Australian Lotto team, who now has five Giro stages to his name, aims to win one stage this year in all three grand tours, Giro, Tour de France and Vuelta.

Ewan, 26, had planned not to go to the end of the Tour of Italy in order to preserve his strength.

During his first three participations (2016, 2017, 2019), he had also given up along the way.

© 2021 AFP