Giro d'Italia: Mark Cavendish returns for Team Sky after crash

Mark Cavendish has returned to the Giro d'Italia, leading Team Sky home in ninth position in the team time trial around Verona on Wednesday.

Cavendish suffered a heavy crash on Monday, losing skin on his thigh, but had Tuesday's rest day to recuperate.

The Briton said on Twitter:  "To be honest, didn't feel great in [the] team time trial. Team did work well."

Lithuanian Ramunas Navardauskas leads the tour after his Garmin team won the stage in 37 minutes and four seconds.

Mark Cavendish returns to the Giro d'Italia after Monday's crash

Britain's Mark Cavendish crashes

Navardauskas now leads Garmin team-mates Tyler Farrar and Robert Hunter by 10 seconds.

Cavendish, who was involved in a dramatic crash at the end of Monday's stage, when he was brought down by Roberto Ferrari, added on Twitter that he was "shaking and on the edge of tears getting my grazes cleaned".

Last five winners of the Giro

  • 2011: Michele Scarponi (Italy)
  • 2010: Ivan Basso (Italy)
  • 2009: Denis Menchov (Russia)
  • 2008: Alberto Contador (Spain)
  • 2007: Danilo Di Luca (Italy)

Team Sky finished 30 seconds off the pace, a result that saw Sky rider Geraint Thomas - who crossed the line alongside team-mates Cavendish, Peter Kennaugh, Juan Antonio Flecha, Rigoberto Urán and Ian Stannard - slip to seventh overall, 21 seconds behind Navardauskas.

Team Sky sports director Steven de Jongh said: "We were in the mix there for places five to 10. We just couldn't go 30 seconds faster.

"On the climb the guys put out a steady pace but it wasn't quite fast enough.

"Then in the end some of the guys began to struggle a bit and couldn't deliver a high speed so that's where we lost a few more seconds.

"We're glad it's over; it's not the result we wanted to have but we will move on."

The riders face a 199km stage between Modena and Fano on Thursday, with the Giro finishing in Milan on Sunday 27 May.