PESCHICI, 17 May 2006 — Italian Franco Pellizotti of Liquigas won the 10th stage of the Tour of Italy here yesterday after leading a bunch of riders in chasing down Phonak’s Axel Merckx just before the finish line.
Italian favorite Ivan Basso, of CSC, retained the race leader’s pink jersey ahead of today’s rest day. Basso retained his 1min 34sec lead over second placed Spaniard Jose Gutierrez and his 1:48 lead over Italy’s former Giro winner Damiano Cunego after the main peloton ambled in after 187km of racing from Termoli.
Pelizotti’s first ever Giro stage win means he jumps up to fourth place overall, at 2:05 behind Basso and just ahead of another former race winner, defending champion Paolo Savoldelli of Discovery Channel who is at 2:35.
Pellizotti meanwhile was rewarded for his persistence in keeping Merckx within sight after the Phonak rider — the son of legendary Belgian Eddy — had attacked with 15km to go.
Merckx’s lead was never significant and, agonizingly for him, a 10-man bunch featuring Pellizotti caught up just after they had rounded the final bend leading to the uphill finish line.
