Caleb Ewan of Australia sprinted to victory on the 11th stage of the Giro d'Italia on Wednesday, while Italian cyclist Valerio Conti remained the overall leader.

Ewan, who rides for Lotto-Soudal, edged out Arnaud Demare and Pascal Ackermann in a bunch sprint at the end of the entirely flat 221-kilometer (137-mile) route from Carpi to Novi Ligure.

"My team did a great job to keep me in position in the final 30 kilometers," Ewan said. "I think Pascal went a little bit too early. I waited, bided my time and when I felt ready I went."

It was the second victory at this year's Giro for the 24-year-old Ewan, who also won the sprint at the end of the eighth and longest stage on Saturday.

"I came here to get one win so to get two really exceeded my expectations," said Ewan, who also won one stage in 2017.

Conti remained 1 minute, 50 seconds ahead of Slovenian cyclist Primoz Roglic, who is one of the favorites, and 2:21 ahead of Nans Peters of France.

It was a second successive entirely flat route before the Giro heads into the Alps for Thursday's 12th stage. The 158-kilometer route from Cuneo to Pinerolo includes the first category one climb of this year's race, when it heads up to Montoso.

"It was a long and sunny stage. So I enjoyed it very much," Conti said. "Tomorrow it'll be harder to keep the jersey because the main climb is a hard one. But I want to keep the Maglia Rosa tomorrow also."

Conti has worn the pink jersey since finishing second on Thursday's sixth stage.

The Giro finishes in Verona on June 2.