The first mountain top finish of this year's Giro d'Italia would go to Italian, Paolo Tiralongo of the Astana Pro Team. Locked in an uphill duel with countryman, Michele Scarponi (Lampre - ISD), during the closing kilometers of Stage 6 to Rocca di Cambio, Tiralongo patiently bided his time before jettisoning past Scarponi for the win.

Frank Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) rounded out the day's podium in third; finishing a mere three seconds behind Tiralongo.

In the race for the maglia rosa, Garmin-Barracuda's Ryder Hesjedal took over the top place on the General Classification as Adriano Malori (Lampre - ISD) faltered on the day's final climb. Hesjedal, who finished in 5th on the stage, became the first Canadian in the long history of the Giro d'Italia to wear the pink leader's jersey.

"I didn't want to let this chance escape me and I have to thank all my team, especially (Christian) Vandevelde, for the incredible dream they are letting me experience," Hesjedal said. "I'm not here to win the Giro, my aim is to wear the pink jersey for as long as possible."

Results - Stage 7 - Recanati - Rocca di Cambio 202km
1. Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team - 5:51:03
2. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre - ISD
3. Frank Schleck (Lux) RadioShack-Nissan - 0:00:03

General Classification After Stage 7
1. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda - 26:16:53
2. Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro Team - 0:00:15
3. Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team - 0:00:17
4. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:21
5. Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:26
6. Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team
7. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team - 0:00:35
8. Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale - 0:00:40
9. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale - 0:00:45
10. Dario Cataldo (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quickstep - 0:00:46

Jersey Leaders After Stage 7
maglia rosa - Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda
maglia rosso passione - Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
maglia azzurra - Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez (Col) Androni Giocattoli
maglia bianca - Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin - Barracuda

Next: Stage 8: Sulmona - Lago Laceno 229km

Photo: Associated Press/Gian Mattia D'Alberto

Miguel Angel Rubiano (Androni Giocattoli) fired the opening salvo of a Giro d'Italia that features a great many uphill kilometers to come. On a day that saw the peloton take on the first significant climbs of the 95th edition of the race, it was the 27-year old Columbian who proved most adept to handle the change in altitude.

With around 45 kilometers to go, Rubiano took flight from his breakaway companions and he was never heard from again. He would cross the line over a minute up on the next closest competitor, Italian Adriano Malori (Lampre - ISD), who gladly traded the stage win for the maglia rosa. Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team rider Michal Golas rounded out the day's podium.

Involved in the early break, Golas and 14 other riders built up a 9 minute lead. Several riders dropped out the lead group, leaving 5 riders to battle it out for the stage win. Golas ended 3rd in the stage and is now 2nd in the overall rankings.

"The team have rode really good today," Sports Director Davide Bramati said. "The riders understood this morning that it was a stage where it was possible to fight for the win and for the pink jersey. We went into the race motivated and Golas chose the right breakaway. Michal did his best today. We knew that we should have to attack Malori to take the jersey, but everybody was at the limit in the last kilometers. It was a really hard stage, it was really hot and the riders used a 28 gear. In general the team was really strong. Cataldo had a flat tire at about 50 km to go but Vermote and Maes gave their best to bring him in the peloton. Now we are second in the GC and second in the special classification for the white jersey. We will try again in the next stages."

"The breakaway began after only 10 kilometers," Golas said. "This morning in the technical meeting we decided to attack immediately. The parcour was really really hard and in the front group, we lost some guys along the road. At the end there were only five of us. I knew that in the final it would have been a fight with Malori for the Pink Jersey. I tried to pull as much as I could. I tried to drop him but we were at the same level, there were no big difference between us. At 15km to go I had also a flat tire and I had to change the bike and chase the guys in front of me. I couldn’t do more then that, really. After the race I was really disappointed. Now I’ve realized that I did a great race. I was so close to the pink jersey that I don’t want to give up. Tomorrow I will do my best to get another good result for me and for the team.”

Results - Stage 6 - Urbino - Porto Sant'Elpidio 207km
1. Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez (Col) Androni Giocattoli - 5:38:30
2. Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre - ISD - 0:01:10
3. Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quickstep

General Classification After Stage 6
1. Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre - ISD - 20:25:28
2. Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quickstep - 0:00:15
3. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:17
4. Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez (Col) Androni Giocattoli - 0:00:30
5. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:32
6. Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team - 0:00:36
7. Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:37
8. Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha Team - 0:00:39
9. Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Astana Pro Team
10. Luke Roberts (Aus) Team Saxo Bank - 0:00:41

Jersey Leaders After Stage 6
maglia rosa - Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre - ISD
maglia rosso passione - Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
maglia azzurra - Miguel Angel Rubiano Chavez (Col) Androni Giocattoli
maglia bianca - Adriano Malori (Ita) Lampre - ISD

Next: Stage 7 - Recanati - Rocca di Cambio 202km

Photo: Associated Press/Daniele Badolato (top); OPQS/Tim de Waele (bottom).

The Boy Racer, Mark Cavendish (Sky Procycling), once again proved that he is the man of the sprints as he romped over his competition in the Stage 5 finale.

Showing no ill effects from his brutal crash three days ago, Cavendish easily took the bunch sprint in front of Australian Matthew Goss (Orica-GreenEdge) and Italian Daniele Bennati (RadioShack-Nissan).

Dressed in his World Championship stripes, the Manxman was joined on the podium by his baby daughter Delilah. By virtue of is win, Cavendish raised his career Giro d'Italia tally to nine.

Ramunas Navardauskas (Garmin - Barracuda) retained the overall race lead, finishing safely in the main peloton. With his second place finish, Goss proved to be the biggest climber on the day as he shot up the rankings in fourth place, just 13 seconds off the race lead.

Results - Stage 5 - Modena - Fano 199km
1. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling - 4:43:15
2. Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
3. Daniele Bennati (Ita) RadioShack-Nissan

General Classification After Stage 5
1. Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin - Barracuda - 14:45:13
2. Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:05
3. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:11
4. Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team - 0:00:13
5. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling - 0:00:14
6. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling - 0:00:16
7. Manuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo Bank - 0:00:19
8. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:26
9. Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team - 0:00:30
10. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha Team

Jersey Leaders After Stage 5
maglia rosa - Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin - Barracuda
maglia rosso passione - Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
maglia azzurra - Alfredo Balloni (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
maglia bianca - Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin - Barracuda

Next: Stage 6 - Urbino - Porto Sant'Elpidio 207km
The peloton sees the first climbs of any significance before heading into the stratosphere the rest of the way.

Photo: Associated Press/Fabio Ferrari

The Individual Time Trial has long been known as the "Race of Truth;" unveiling the true mettle of a rider. Its group counterpart, the Team Time Trial, however, is more akin to a hyper-kinetic game of musical chairs; going as fast as you can, holding on for as long as you can, and hoping that you do not get left without a chair. And unfortunately, for a rider such as Alex Rasmussen (Garmin-Barracuda), it can be an awfully cruel game.

Nestled in third place overall at the beginning of the day, Rasmussen looked to pull on the pink leaders jersey if his team held their form as the favorites. As expected Garmin-Barracuda set a blazing pace, but it was one that ultimately proved too fast for the Dane, who like the heroic victim waved for his teammates to amble forward without him. The team wound up setting the fastest time to take the event, but it was Lithuanians rather than the Danes that ended up celebrating the most as Garmin-Barracuda teammate Ramunas Navardauskas took over the General Classification lead.

But as seemingly tragic as Rasmussen's day was, it paled in comparison to Taylor Phinney's. Donning the maglia rosa for his fourth straight day, the young American on BMC Racing narrowly avoided touching the pavement for the third day in a row. Sliding wide on a turn, Phinney managed to stay upright but as he rolled into the adjoining grassy embankment his hopes of retaining the jersey for another day rolled away as well.

Results - Stage 4 - Verona (TTT) 32.2km
1. Garmin-Barracuda - 0:37:04
2. Katusha Team - 0:00:05
3. Astana Pro Team - 0:00:22
4. Team Saxo Bank
5. Omega Pharma-Quickstep - 0:00:24
6. Orica-GreenEdge - 0:00:25
7. Liquigas-Cannondale - 0:00:26
8. RadioShack-Nissan - 0:00:28
9. Sky Procycling - 0:00:30
10. BMC Racing Team - 0:00:31

General Classification After Stage 4
1. Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin - Barracuda - 10:01:53
2. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:10
3. Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin - Barracuda
4. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:11
5. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team - 0:00:13
6. Manuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo Bank - 0:00:19
7. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling - 0:00:21
8. Sébastien Rosseler (Bel) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:25
9. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:26
10. Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team - 0:00:30

Jersey Leaders After Stage 4
maglia rosa - Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin - Barracuda
maglia rosso passione - Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
maglia azzurra - Alfredo Balloni (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
maglia bianca - Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin - Barracuda

Next: Stage 5 - Modena - Fano 199km
After the all out effort of the team time trial, the peloton will definitely defer back to the sprinters on Stage 5.

Photo: Associated Press/Gian Mattia d'Alberto

Matthew Goss (Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team) provided the Australian based up-start its first Grand Tour victory by taking the crash marred Stage 3 in Horsens in front of Argentine sprinter, Juan Jose Haedo (Team Saxo Bank) and American Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Barracuda).

"It's great to win here in a pure bunch sprint," Goss told Cyclingnews. "I'm very happy for the team. There were a lot corners in the finale, that always strings the bunch out but I had a great team."

The win was Goss' second in the Giro d'Italia, with his other victory coming on Stage 9 in 2010.

On a day that paid tribute to the Wouter Weylandt, who died after crashing during Stage 3 of last year's race, the finale was unfortunately marred by a fairly brutal crash that saw Stage 2 victor, Mark Cavendish (Sky Procycling) and race leader Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing) involved in the fray as riders jockeyed for position. The crash was Phinney's second in as many days.

Both riders were able finish the stage, and despite crossing the line over five minutes behind Goss, Phinney retained the race lead and his hold on the maglia rosa.

Results - Stage 3 (Horsens 190km)
1. Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team - 4:20:53
2. Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team Saxo Bank
3. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Barracuda

General Classification After Stage 3
1. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team - 9:24:31
2. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling - 0:00:09
3. Alex Rasmussen (Den) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:13
4. Manuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo Bank - 0:00:15
5. Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:18
6. Gustav Larsson (Swe) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team - 0:00:22
7. Brett Lancaster (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team - 0:00:23
8. Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
9. Marco Pinotti (Ita) BMC Racing Team - 0:00:24
10. Jesse Sergent (NZl) RadioShack-Nissan - 0:00:26

Jersey Leaders After Stage 3
maglia rosa - Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team
maglia rosso passione - Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
maglia azzurra - Alfredo Balloni (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
maglia bianca - Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team

Next: Rest Day 1. Stage 4 Verona (TTT) 32.2km - May 9th
As majestic in it synchronicity as it is cruel when it all falls apart, the peloton takes full flight in the Team Time Trial in fair Verona.

Photo: Associated Press

When it comes to Grand Tours and flat stages, the proposition of Mark Cavendish (Sky Procycling) claiming a victory often comes down to a matter of "when" and not "if" he will sprint past his rivals.

In the finale of the 206km Stage 2 in Herning, Cavendish and Sky Procycling left no doubts as the Manxman raised both arms in victory ahead of former teammate Matthew Goss (Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team) and FDJ-Big Mat's Geoffrey Soupe.

Results - Stage 2 (Herning 206km)
1. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling - 4:53:12
2. Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
3. Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) FDJ-Big Mat

Young American Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing) defended the maglia rosa in spite of a few harrowing events that saw him hit the pavement and drop a chain in the early kilometers of the stage.

General Classification After Stage 2
1. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team - 5:03:38
2. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling - 0:00:09
3. Alex Rasmussen (Den) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:13
4. Manuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo Bank - 0:00:15
5. Gustav Larsson (Swe) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team - 0:00:22
6. Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin - Barracuda
7. Brett Lancaster (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team - 0:00:23
8. Marco Pinotti (Ita) BMC Racing Team - 0:00:24
9. Jesse Sergent (NZl) RadioShack-Nissan - 0:00:26
10. Nelson Oliveira (Por) RadioShack-Nissan - 0:00:27

Jersey Leaders After Stage 2
maglia rosa - Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team
maglia rosso passione - Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling
maglia azzurra - Alfredo Balloni (Ita) Farnese Vini - Selle Italia
maglia bianca - Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team

Next: Stage 3 (Horsens 190km)
Another stage, another day for the sprinters.

Photo: Luk Benies/AFP/GettyImages

On Saturday, Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing) would lay claim to the first maglia rosa of the 2012 edition of the Giro d'Italia. The young American completed the 8.6 kilometer Individual Time Trial route in 10 minutes and 26 seconds.

"It's a dream to pull on the pink jersey," said Phinney. "I've achieved one of my objectives of the season, I've been thinking of this time trial for months. Everyone was saying I was the favorite but it's not easy to go out there and do it.

The last American to wear the pink leader's jersey was Christian Vande Velde, who currently races for Garmin-Barracuda, back in 2008.

The equally impressive Geraint Thomas (Sky Procycling), and Alex Rasmussen (Garmin - Barracuda) rounded out the day's podium in second and third, respectively.

Results - Stage 1 Herning (ITT) 8.7km
1. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team - 0:10:26
2. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling - 0:00:09
3. Alex Rasmussen (Den) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:13

General Classification After Stage 1
1. Taylor Phinney (USA) BMC Racing Team - 0:10:26
2. Geraint Thomas (GBr) Sky Procycling - 0:00:09
3. Alex Rasmussen (Den) Garmin - Barracuda - 0:00:13
4. Manuele Boaro (Ita) Team Saxo Bank - 0:00:15
5. Gustav Larsson (Swe) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team - 0:00:22
6. Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin - Barracuda
7. Brett Lancaster (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team - 0:00:23
8. Marco Pinotti (Ita) BMC Racing Team - 0:00:24
9. Jesse Sergent (NZl) RadioShack-Nissan - 0:00:26
10. Nelson Oliveira (Por) RadioShack-Nissan - 0:00:27

Photo: Henning Bagger/AFP/GettyImages

David Millar (Gamin-Cervelo) won the 26 kilometer Stage 21 Individual Time Trial in Milan in a time of 30:13, 7 seconds ahead of second place finisher, Danish rider, Alex Rasmussen (HTC-Highroad).

But Millar's strong finish to the three-week event was markedly overshadowed by the accomplishments of the man who would roll in to to take third on the day, Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank Sungard).

The now 6-time grand tour winner (Tour de France - 2007, 2009, 2010; Giro d'Italia - 2008, 2011; Vuelta a Espana - 2008) was quite simply the most dominant rider in the field during the 94th Giro d'Italia. In 13 of the 21 stages, including the race's opening day Team Time Trial, Contador would finish in no worse than 9th placed. He went on to make the day's podium in 8 of those 12 stages (2 - first; 4 - second; 2 - third).

While doping speculations still circulate around the 28-year old Spaniard, with the defense of his Tour de France title set to occur in July and with many of the top General Classification riders too tired at season's end to take on the Vuelta a Espana, Contador, if willing and able, has put himself in line to accomplish something that no rider has done in the history of cycling; win all three grand tours in a single season.

Results - Stage 21
1. David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Cervelo
2. Alex Rasmussen (Den) HTC-Highroad
3. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank Sungard

General Classification - Final
1. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank Sungard
2. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre - ISD
3. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
4. John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
5. Joaquím Rodríguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team
6. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Pro Team Astana
7. José Rujano Guillen (Ven) Androni Giocattoli
8. Denis Menchov (Rus) Geox-TMC
9. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
10. Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Blr) HTC-Highroad

Other Notables
22. Peter Stetina (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo
89. Thomas Peterson (USA) Team Garmin-Cervelo
129. Bjorn Selander (USA) Team RadioShack
152. Chad Beyer (USA) BMC Racing Team

Jersey Winners - Final
Maglia Rosa Esta - Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank
Maglia Verde Banca Mediolanum - Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone
Maglia Bianca Ministero dell'Ambiente - Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Pro Team Astana
Maglia Rosso Passione Saint Gobain - Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank Sungard
Maglia Tricolore - Liquigas-Cannondale

Photo: Luk Benies/AFP/Getty Images

Quiet before the storm; a long day in the saddle is topped off by a pair of epic climbs

Although one stage remains in the 94th edition of the Giro d'Italia, there must have been a few bottles of Peroni killed and some grappa knocked back in celebration after today's final day of climbing.

Two categorized climbs, the Colle delle Finestre (Cat. 1) and the climb up to Sestriere (Cat. 2), marked the 242 kilometer Stage 19 from Verbania to Sestriere, but the peloton would not see either climb until they had traversed 200 kilometers of today's route.

A break of 13 strong attempted to get away early to steal the stage, but it was the climbers who would inevitably have the ultimate say.

Movistar's Vasili Kiryienka proved to be the strongest of the bunch as the Belarussian simply ran away with the stage win. He would best the next two closest competitors, Stage 13 winner, Jose Rujano (Androni Giocattoli) and Katusha's Joaquím Rodríguez by nearly 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, down the road race leader Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank Sungard) seemed content to watch the other contenders for the final podium places battle it out in front of him. He finished with a small pack, nearly 6 minutes in arrears to Kiryienka, but he would easily retain his overall lead.

Results - Stage 20
1. Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Movistar Team
2. José Rujano Guillen (Ven) Androni Giocattoli
3. Joaquím Rodríguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team

General Classification After Stage 20
1. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank Sungard
2. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre - ISD
3. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
4. John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
5. Joaquím Rodríguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team
6. José Rujano Guillen (Ven) Androni Giocattoli
7. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Pro Team Astana
8. Denis Menchov (Rus) Geox-TMC
9. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
10. Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi

Next: Milano to Milano (31.5km, ITT)

Photo: Luk Benies/AFP/Getty Images

It was not a watch, but the gift Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank Sungard) gave former Astana teammate, Paolo Tiralongo (Astana), will resonate with the Italian long after his career as a domestique is simply just a cherished memory.

The veteran of 12 cycling seasons, Tiralongo made a late bid for his first career victory on the 209 kilometer Stage 19 from Bergamo to Macugnaga. But with the finishing nearly in his sights, he was caught by his former boss.

The two spoke briefly, and then proceeded to reverse their customary roles as Contador took over the pace making to prevent the strung out pack behind from overtaking them.

Tiralongo would swing out and come around Contador at the line to take the stage, his first ever professional win. A hard charging Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) rounded out the day's podium in third.

Results - Stage 19
1. Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Pro Team Astana
2. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank Sungard
3. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale

General Classification After Stage 19
1. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo Bank Sungard
2. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre - ISD
3. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
4. John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
5. Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Blr) HTC-Highroad
6. Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
7. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Pro Team Astana
8. Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team
9. Denis Menchov (Rus) Geox-TMC
10. José Rujano Guillen (Ven) Androni Giocattoli

Next: Stage 20 - Verbania to Sestriere (242km)

Photo: AP/Giovanni Auletta