CIVITELLA VAL DI CHIANA, 13 May 2004 — Italian sprint ace Alessandro Petacchi overcame falling at the 110km mark to win the fourth stage of the Tour of Italy yesterday, a 184km ride from Porretta Terme.
His compatriot and two-time race winner Gilberto Simoni retained the overall leader’s pink jersey.
Petacchi, who was following up his win in Sunday’s first stage, beat home Australian Robbie McEwen while Italian Simone Cadamuro was third.
Petacchi’s chances of victory were enhanced considerably by the fall of his predecessor as king of the sprints ‘Super’ Mario Cipollini as he came crashing to the ground 300m from the line after brushing the back wheel of his Estonian teammate Andrus Aug.
Cipollini got back on to his bike and finished the stage, though he appeared to have injured an ankle and his left knee and went off to hospital to undergo further examinations.
Petacchi expressed his hope that the ‘Lion King’ as the 37-year-old Cipollini is fondly known by his fans for his long dyed blond curls would be fit enough to take part in today’s stage.
“If he isn’t able to be there it will be a huge loss for the Tour,” he said.
“I really want our duel to carry on.”
Petacchi injured his cocyx in his fall but aided by his team regained his place in the peloton and had enough left in the tank to win his eighth stage of the Tour in two years.
“I was really frightened because it was really painful.
“Thankfully the pain got less.”
Petacchi, though, issued a worrying warning to his main rivals among the sprinters by declaring he was in better form than when he won six stages last year.
“I feel better than I did in 2003, physically I am in top order.”
Simoni for his part said he had a perfectly easy day but added that if his 22-year-old teammate Dario Cunego felt better than him then the rising star of Italian cycling could take his chance.
“If he has the strength to drop me then he has the right to do it,” said Simoni.
