Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) will abandon the 89th Giro d'Italia. In stage 3 on Monday, the Italian sprinter came to a fall with about 50 kilometres left to race, and was in heavy pain throughout the rest of the stage, which he finished. However, further examinations in a Belgian hospital revealed that Petacchi fractured his left knee-cap. Tomorrow, he will fly back to Italy where he will get surgery. The team announced that this could also compromise his participation in the Tour de France this summer.
