Italian Leonardo Piepoli powered through an elite group of climbers, including two teammates, on the steep finish at Santuario to win the 10th Stage of the Giro d'Italia on Tuesday.
Another Italian, 38-year-old Andrea Noe, finished early enough to take the overall lead in the three-week race, becoming the third Liquigas cyclist to wear the pink jersey this year.
American George Hincapie (Discovery Channel), riding in his first Giro, joined a six-man breakaway and gained enough time on the peloton for a while to be the “on the road” virtual leader. That fame lasted briefly, however, as the Lampre and Liquigas teams turned up the heat, narrowing the gap and eventually sweeping past the breakaway on the final climb.
Stage winner Piepoli, 35, is a strong climber who won two stages of the Giro last year. His Saunier Duval team captain, Gilberto Simoni, is a two-time winner of the Giro d'Italia and considered a front runner this year. He finished fourth on Tuesday's stage.
The finishing climb at Santuario Nostra Signora Della Guardia, with its 10 switchbacks coming at the end of a 155-mile stage is made for wiry climbers. The Hincapie group, reduced to four, tried to beat the odds, but were all were caught about 3 miles from the finish.
Hincapie had a flat on the penultimate climb of the day and had to catch up to the break, which may have taken some of the sharpness out of his legs for the finish. Colombian Ivan Parra (Cofidis) was the last breakaway member to survive and Hincapie caught him after one attack, but couldn't survive Parra's second attack.
Then Danilo Di Luca charged ahead of the chase group of climbers, caught Parra, and hung on to finish second, behind Piepoli. Team CSC's Any Schleck finished third, and Simoni finished fourth.
Former race leader Marco Pinotti, riding for the depleted T-Mobile, finished 4:30 behind the winners and dropped out of the overall lead, giving it to Noe.
Wednesday's 123-mile stage from Serravalle Scrivia to Pinerolo is marked by some rolling hills in the first half but level ground later on.
Complete results at VeloNews or CyclingNews.
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