Team BMC Racing's Giro d'Italia leader Taylor Phinney (USA) needed three stitches to close a wound to his right ankle after a rough crash at high speed in the final meters of stage 3 of the 2012 Giro d'Italia in Horsens, Denmark.

Phinney was transported across the finish line in an ambulance following the crash. Fortunately, X-ray examinations conducted in Denmark in the hours following the stage finish, revealed no fractured bones for the leader of the Giro d'Italia.

Phinney got injured when he could not avoid a pile-up of riders who had crashed in front of him about 125 meters from the finish line in Monday's 190 kilometer stage in Horsens, Denmark. In spite of serious pain, Phinney insisted on a podium appearance in order to show his family and friends that he was ok after the crash.

Phinney underwent further X-ray examinations on his right foot early Tuesday morning at a hospital in Verona, Italy, following a scheduled flight from Billund Airport, Denmark for the first of two rest days in the three-week Giro d'Italia grand tour.

Team BMC Racing Doctor Dario Spinelli told Roadcycling.com a preliminary review of the X-rays with the hospital's overnight radiologist revealed no broken bones.

"We'll take another look at his ankle later today and see how it's healing," Spinelli explained and added "It's definitely good that this happened before a rest day, since the transport and treatment process took so long. Taylor will enjoy a good night of sleep without the stress of having to get ready to race."

The Giro d'Italia resumes Wednesday with the stage 4 team time trial, in which Phinney's pedal power is of great importance.

Watch video highlights from the Giro d'Italia - including Taylor Phinney's crash, Mark Cavendish's crash and not least Phinney's time trial victory - in our Roadcycling.com video section (US access only).