Kaden Groves, Australia’s top sprint contender for the Giro d’Italia, has been compelled to withdraw after sustaining injuries during the opening stage. This decision comes after another Australian cyclist, Jay Vine, also faced a setback due to a concussion and broken elbow from a crash on stage two.

The race commenced in Bulgaria with a mass crash occurring just 600 meters from the finish line, injuring multiple riders, including Groves. Despite initially appearing to be "OK," the Alpecin Premier-Tech rider later revealed he suffered from shoulder and neck bruising, alongside superficial scrapes.

Groves, who had hoped for a strong performance, was unable to recover adequately to continue competing. He expressed his disappointment, stating, "I don’t need to risk anything," after taking a rest day that did not alleviate his pain.

During the 138-km stage from Catanzaro to Consenza, Groves officially withdrew before the challenging Cozzo Tunno climb. His absence is notable as he was anticipated to surpass Caleb Ewan’s 11 Grand Tour stage wins, aiming for a position behind Robbie McEwan on the all-time Australian winners' list.

With Groves out, Francesco Busato will step up as Alpecin’s main sprinter, while Jensen Plowright may also receive opportunities following his 18th place finish on stage three. Groves, who previously won a stage at the Giro last year, had just returned from a two-month hiatus due to knee issues.

In the general classification, Jai Hindley of Red Bull-BORA hansgrohe and Ben O’Connor from Jayco AlUla remain in contention, sitting 10 seconds behind new race leader Giulio Ciccone of Lidl-Trek. The latest stage saw Ecuador’s Jhonatan Narvaez take the win, bringing a morale boost to Vine’s team. The upcoming fifth stage promises to further shake up the standings with nearly 4000m of climbing over 203km.