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Simon Gerrans made it consecutive Australian victories in the Milan-San Remo classic as Mark Cavendish failed to finish.

edged Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara in a thrilling sprint finish.

Cavendish, 26, and his Team Sky colleagues called time on their chase 48 kilometres from the end.

GreenEdge rider Gerrans was part of a three-man pack that hit the front with six of the 298km remaining.

Cavendish was never in contention for a repeat of his and first dropped behind the peloton on the mild Le Manie climb 97km from the finish line.

Colombian rider Carlos Julian Quintero briefly lost consciousness after a crash at the bottom of the Le Manie descent with 85km left of the event. The Colombia-Coldeportes rider was tended to by paramedics on the side of the road.