Alexander Rossi is expected to start the Indianapolis 500 after medical team clears him to drive

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Alexander Rossi hobbled into his Indianapolis 500 media day interview on crutches Thursday.

He's still planning to start Sunday's big race.

Three days after having surgery on his right ankle and the middle finger of his left hand following a crash, the Californian told reporters he'd been cleared to drive and then spent most of his interview session playfully poking fun at questions about his health and himself.

“I have to be on crutches because it's a non-weight bearing injury, but fortunately to drive a race car, you don't have to bear weight,” he said. “Range of motion is good. Pain is minimal. Swelling, as you can see, I fit into my race boot, so good to go.”

He was injured early in Monday's practice when his car spun going through the second turn on the Brickyard's 2.5-mile oval. He slammed hard into the outside wall then took a second shot when the trailing Pato O'Ward couldn't avoid hitting the side of Rossi's car.

Rossi, the 2016 Indy winner, was eventually transferred to a local hospital where he had surgery Monday night. Rossi's Ed Carpenter Racing team members spent Monday night and Tuesday preparing his backup car, the one he used last year when he led the race, hopeful Rossi would return to the cockpit and start from the No. 2 spot that he earned in last weekend's qualifying.

Rossi said he needed the two surgeries to stabilize the injuries just to give him a shot to compete. He’s still being fitted for a brace and a boot that still allow him to use the car pedals properly.

“I don’t know if I’m allowed to talk about the values of the two impacts, but they were very high,” Rossi said, briefly turning serious. “And the fact that we’re here, having this conversation and joking about a sore ankle is pretty amazing.”

Earlier this week, team president Tim Broyles sounded confident Rossi would be back in his car on race day, but he first had to demonstrate to IndyCar's medical team he could drive on the simulator, climb in and out of the car within a certain time frame, prove he could react properly to certain situations in his boot and do all of it over several different increments. Only then was he cleared.

On Friday, he faces one more hurdle — making sure he's comfortable back in the cockpit during the final practice session on Indianapolis Motor Speedway's 2.5-mile oval.

He's not the only one with some work to do on Carb Day. O'Ward also will be in a backup car.

“Whatever we get (Friday) I’m going to be very grateful for, hopefully, the rain decides to at least stay away a little bit and we’ll get some running in,” the Mexican driver with Arrow McLaren said. “I want to get one full run. It's very important for me. I have a new car. Regardless of it, the car will be good. It would be nice to just get a run just pepper out anything it might have.”

O'Ward qualified sixth on the 33-car starting grid. Defending Indy champ Alex Palou won the pole.

But if the rain holds off, it will give Rossi a two-hour window to test his car, his foot and his hand as he again seeks a second career Indy win.

“If we do our jobs correctly, close to zero,” he said when asked what he expected in terms of pain on race day and before he was asked if he could avoid a painkilling shot. "I didn’t say that. I said if we do our jobs correctly, close to zero."

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Alexander Rossi drives through the third turn during qualifications for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Former winners of the Indianapolis 500 auto race pose at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, May 18, 2026. Front row, left to right, Will Power, of Australia; Josef Newgarden; Alex Palou, of Spain; and Scott Dixon, of New Zealand. Second row: left to right, Alexander Rossi; Ryan Hunter-Reay; Helio Castroneves, of Brazil; Takuma Sato, of Japan; and Marcus Ericsson, of Sweden. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Alexander Rossi prepares too drive during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, May 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

MILAN (AP) — Norwegian cyclist Fredrik Dversnes claimed the biggest victory of his career as he won the 15th stage of the Giro d’Italia on Sunday, while Jonas Vingegaard remained in the overall lead heading into the final week.

Dversnes won from a four-man breakaway that escaped early on the flat 157-kilometer (98-mile) route that started in Voghera and ended with four laps of the finishing circuit in Milan.

The Uno-X Mobility rider edged out his fellow escapees by almost a bicycle length, with Mirco Maestri finishing second and Martin Marcellusi third.

It is the first Giro for Dversnes and his team.

“Super good help from the other guys in the breakaway … They were really, really strong today,” Dversnes said. "I knew I had good opportunities because I’m pretty good at going in breakaways, so this was my big shot.

“I’ve been joking this year that I will try to trick the peloton in one of these sprint stages, so I really wanted to do that and prove that, so super glad to make it. It's big. It’s a really big and incredible feeling.”

Vingegaard, who had seized control of the race on Saturday, finished safely in the peloton to maintain his overall advantage of 2:26 over Afonso Eulálio, with Felix Gall 24 seconds further back.

The race jury decided to neutralize Sunday's stage for the last lap after several riders — including Vingegaard — complained about the road surface and the placing of the barriers. The overall times were taken at the last passage under the finish arch, before the start of the last lap.

“Maybe today was not the most safe road, so to speak, but we tried to speak with the organization and they really listened to us,” Vingegaard said. “So I want to thank the organization as well for listening to what we had to say today.”

Monday sees the Giro’s third and final rest day before Tuesday’s brutal 16th stage. The 113-kilometer route from Bellinzona includes five classified climbs, including the top-category slog to the finish in Carì.

The Giro ends on May 31 in Rome.

The women’s Giro from May 30-June 7 will be defended by Italian rider Elisa Longo Borghini.

AP cycling: https://apnews.com/hub/cycling

Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard wears the pink jersey of the race overall leader as he stands on the podium after completing the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Voghera to Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)

Norway's Fredrik Dversnes Lavik, left, celebrates winning the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Voghera to Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)

Norway's Fredrik Dversnes Lavik celebrates winning the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Voghera to Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

Pink jersey Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard, center, pedals during Stage 15 of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Voghera to Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Fabio Ferrari/LaPresse via AP)

The pack of riders pedals during the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Voghera to Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Gian Mattia D'Alberto/LaPresse via AP)

Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard wearing the pink jersey of the race overall leader, waves to fans ahead of the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race, from Voghera to Milan, Italy, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (Massimo Paolone/LaPresse via AP)