A 215km stage from Caravaggio to Vicenza on a day where snow was threatened saw Maxim Belkov (Katusha), Miguel Rubiano (Androni),Gert Dockx (Lotto Beilsol), and Luke Durbridge (OGE) attack from the first kilometre of a stage that started without Mattia Gavazzi who had been expelled from the race for using a car to help him up a climb yesterday.
With 77kms to go in good weather, the gap was out to 5.07 before Maxim. Belkov took the five points for the day's first intermediate sprint with Cavendish taking two points to move to 111 points, eight points ahead of Cadel EvansBelkov took the second sprint with again another two points for Cavendish as well with 41kms remaining.
Miguel Rubiano (Androni),Gert Dockx (Lotto Beilsol), and Luke Durbridge (OGE), shed Belkov with 30kms to go as Omega Pharma Quick Step took to the front of the peloton.
With Danilo De Luca leading the chase on the final climb, , Mark Cavendiish battled away to try and stay in touch.De Luca caught up to Rubiano who was now the only escaper left on the front as did Movistar's Giovanni Visconti who was first over the top with 16.7kms to go.
As nobody was now prepared to work at the front of the chasing group, Visconti was 23 seconds clear going into the final five kilometres.
Inside the final kilometre in Vicenza and Visconti was away to take his second stage of the race in a time of 5.15.34.ahead of Navardauskas who thought he had won the stage and Luka Mezgec.
Mark Cavendish looking disgruntled came in 1.18 down.
Astana's Vincenzo Nibali continues to lead the race by 1.26 from Cadel Evans.
Source: DSG
