5/21/2010

Giro 13 - Belletti sprints to hometown win in Cesenatico

Breakaway decides the day, Porte will wear pink into the mountains

Manuel Belletti claimed a second successive Giro d'Italia stage win for Italy and the first of this year's race for his Colnago-CSF Inox team in Cesenatico on Friday afternoon. The Italian passed a fading Crag Lewis (HTC-Columbia) in the final 300m of the stage to sprint to victory ahead of Greg Henderson (Team Sky) and Iban Mayoz (Footon-Servetto).

Richie Porte (Saxo Bank) maintained his overall advantage after finishing in the midst of the peloton, 7:26 behind Belletti. "This is the best day of my life. It's a dream come true. It's amazing to win so near home, I live just five kilometres from here. I grew up watching [Marco] Pantani and so to win here, in his hometown is very special," said Belletti, who hails from the region where he won on Friday.

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Credit: CyclingNews.com