Basso loses time to GC contenders

The most notable absentee from the first group of 12 riders that crossed the line 20 seconds after stage winner Koldo Gil was Team CSC leader Ivan Basso. His team gave him an armchair ride to the base of the Sammommè climb, putting him in a perfect position up front, but one kilometre from the summit, Basso inexplicably dropped off the pace, eventually losing half a minute to the group containing new maglia rosa Danilo Di Luca.

Explained Basso on the team's website, team-csc.com: "The backside of my left thigh suddenly cramped up. It really took me by surprise, as I'd been able to keep up no problem until then. The team worked hard to split the peloton, and of course I'm disappointed about being dropped.

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