As the Giro d'Italia begins its second week, the Italians remain very much in control of the race in spite of its international cast.
On Saturday's Stage 8, Riccardo Riccò of Saunier Duval won again (also Stage 2) in a bunch sprint in Tivoli, and Quick Step's Giovanni Visconti, left, held on for another day as winner of the overall leader's pink jersey.
Except for Slipstream-Chipotle's initial team time trial win on Stage 1 that put Christian Vande Velde in the lead, Italians Visconti and Franco Pellizoti have held the maglia rosa for 7 of 8 stages.
The Italian sprinters have won 5 of the past 8 stages, including the past 3. Others to win a stage are Vande Velde, Mark Cavendish (UK) and Pavel Brutt (Russia).
Saturday's stage was no different, as Saunier Duval led out the sprint finish behind Leonardo Piepoli and the top 9 finishers at the end of the 129-mile stage were all Italians, including world champion Paolo Bettini.
Top 10 overall:
1. Giovanni Visconti (ITA), Quick Step
2. Matthias Russ (GER), Gerolsteiner, 34 seconds behind
3. Gabriele Bosisio (ITA), Team L.P.R., 5:53
4. Danilo Di Luca (ITA), Team L.P.R., 7:27
5. Riccardo Ricco' (ITA), Saunier Duval, 7:33
6. Emanuele Sella (ITA), CSF Group Navigare, 7:36
7. Rafael Cardenas Felix (COL), Barloworld, 7:46
8. Alberto Contador (ESP), Astana, 7:56
9. Franco Pellizotti (ITA), Liquigas, 8:11
10. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA), Liquigas, 8:19
US riders overall:
21. Levi Leipheimer (USA), Astana at 9:14
23. Christian Vandevelde (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle at 9:17
106. Jason Mccartney (USA), CSC at 47:13
165. Jonathan Patrick Mc Carty (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle at 1:14:30
174. Danny Pate (USA), Slipstream-Chipotle at 1:21:47
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