May 28th, 2009 by 
thien
Michele Scarponi of the Serramenti team won the 18th stage of the Tour of Italy on Thursday following a 182km ride from Sulmona to Benevento.
Stage 18 Results
1 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli - 4.07.41
2 Félix Cardenas (Col) Barloworld
3 Danny Pate (USA) Garmin - Slipstream
4 Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team Saxo Bank
5 Dmytro Grabovskyy (Ukr) ISD - 0.06
6 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Quick Step - 0.20
7 Jason McCartney (USA) Team Saxo Bank - 0.24
8 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) ISD - 0.37
9 Alessandro Bertolini (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli - 0.39
10 Gabriele Bosisio (Ita) LPR Brakes - Farnese Vini - 0.42
General Classification After Stage 18
1 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank - 76.40.02
2 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) LPR Brakes - Farnese Vini - 0.26
3 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas - 2.00
4 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas - 3.28
5 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervelo Test Team - 3.30
6 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana - 4.32
7 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia - Highroad - 7.05
8 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo - 8.03
9 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) AG2R La Mondiale - 9.58
10 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C. - 10.33
Jersey Standings:
- Denis Menchov
- Danilo Di Luca
- Stefano Garzelli
- Kevin Seeldrayers
Links to news sites…
“Climb of Mount Vesuvius volcano could decide Giro
By ANDREW DAMPF – 4 hours ago
BENEVENTO, Italy (AP) — The slopes of the Mount Vesuvius volcano will likely decide the Giro d’Italia winner.
Friday’s final uphill finish also could be Lance Armstrong’s last chance to meet his pre-race goal of winning a stage. The seven-time Tour de France champion began the race riding in support of teammate Levi Leipheimer. But now that Leipheimer is sixth and out of contention, Armstrong can try to move up from 12th place.
Denis Menchov of Russia enters the 19th leg with a 26-second lead over Danilo Di Luca in the overall standings.
“I expect a hard day tomorrow,” Menchov said after he and the other leaders, including Armstrong, finished in the main pack in Thursday’s 18th leg, 3 minutes, 57 seconds behind stage winner Michele Scarponi of Italy.” Read more from The AP…
“Scarponi snatches second Giro stage win
(CNN) — Michele Scarponi claimed his second stage victory of the Giro D’Italia after winning a sprint finish to the 18th leg on Thursday.
The Italian cyclist edged past Felix Rafael Cardenas of Colombia and Danny Pate of the United States, with all of them recording the same time of four hours, seven minutes and 41 seconds over the 113 miles (182 kilometers) from Sulmona to Benevento.
Russian rider Denis Menchov retained his 26-second overall lead after finish back in the main pack ahead of Friday’s testing climb up Mount Vesuvius.
His nearest challenger is still the 2007 winner Danilo Di Luca, while another Italian — Franco Pellizotti — is third, two minutes off the leading pace with just three days left in the race.” Read more from CNN International…
“Scarponi adds another as GC fav’s lay low before Vesuvio
By Anthony Tan in Benevento, Italy
Three days from Rome and on an overcast Thursday afternoon where scores of white sheep clouds smothered the percorso in hazy shades of blue-grey, an escape found success at the 92nd Giro d’Italia as the favourites for the overall title rested their legs as best as they could.
Given the road that lies ahead, where on Friday, after a 164-kilometre slog around the ankle of Italy’s boot, the riders finish atop Mount Vesuvius - most likely in ones, twos and threes - the eighteenth stage was a clearly a case of polarised objectives for the 171 remaining soldiers left in this Centenary Giro.
On one hand, there was a bunch of blokes who knew they had no more than two opportunities left to win a stage in a race where, so far, only six teams have tasted the overly sweet spumante that accompanies victory. When sixth stage victor Michele Scarponi of Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni took his second win Friday in Benevento following another 100 kilometre-plus breakaway, still only six teams have tasted success.
Though surely, after two incredibly arduous escapes in a Grand Tour raced at the highest level, it’s lopped off a year or two off the 29-year-old’s life? ” Read more from Cyclingnews.com…
Photo credit - CorVos
