Bertolini triumphs in Trento

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The Giro del Trentino's 164km penultimate stage from Fiera di Primiero to Trento promised to be the only day favourable for the sprinters, but Alessandro Bertolini (Androni Giocattoli) spoiled the party with a well-timed attack on the final climb, the uncategorized Vigolo Vattoro with 23.4km remaining.

The 38-year-old Italian arrived alone in Trento with a slender two-second margin over Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre-Farnese Vini), who led in the peloton for second place.

Bertolini, along with Egor Silin (Team Katusha) and Johann Tschopp (BBox Bouygues Telecom), escaped the peloton soon after the day-long 10-man break was caught on the Vigolo Vattoro ascent. Bertolini dispatched of his two breakaway companions on the descent and set out alone for the finish in Trento.

With 10km remaining, Bertolini led Silin and Tschopp by 30 seconds and the peloton by 40 seconds. Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre-Farnese Vini), a favourite for a stage victory today, was dropped on the Vigolo Vattoro climb and was chasing in a group 25 seconds behind the peloton.

Three kilometres later it was gruppo compatto 30 seconds behind Bertolini as his two former breakaway companions were absorbed and the Petacchi group made contact with the peloton.

As the teams of the sprinters tried to get organized in their pursuit, time was rapidly running out. With three kilometres to go Bertolini held a 20 second lead, and at the flamme rouge the Italian still maintained a 14 second advantage.

Bertolini never wavered in his attack and had time to salute the crowd in Trento at the finish line for his first victory in two years as the sprinters fell two seconds short of catching the Androni Giocattoli rider.

"I cannot express all my joy as I'm finishing my career and there was no better way and place to win than here, on home soil," said Bertolini. "After having already got a Giro d'Italia stage, I wouldn't wish anything better."

Overnight race leader Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) remains atop general classification entering the final stage tomorrow which covers 172.1km from Arco to the mountain finish at Alpe di Pampeago. The Kazakh leads Riccardo Ricco' (Ceramica Flaminia) by 26 seconds and Michele Scarponi (Androni Giocattoli) by 29 seconds.

Ascent to the snow line from the start

The day began with a shock to the system for the peloton as the riders immediately began climbing the category 1 Passo Rolle with its summit 23.4km into the stage. Stefano Garzelli (Acqua & Sapone) initiated a six-man break after 10km which soon grew to contain 10 riders: Valerio Agnoli (Liquigas-Doimo), Marco Marzano (Lampre-Farnese Vini), Stefano Garzelli (Acqua & Sapone), Carlos José Ochoa (Androni Giocattoli), Maxim Belkov (ISD - Neri), Simone Stortoni (Colnago - CSF Inox), Riccardo Chiarini (De Rosa - Stac Plastic), Pasquale Muto and Fortunato Baliani (Miche) and Emanuele Sella (Carmiooro NGC).

The escape's lead soon grew to two minutes, but they were never granted much more breathing room by the peloton. As Baliani led the break over the day's second and final KOM, the Monte Sover ascent at 81.8km, they held a 2:22 advantage over the field. At the Baselga di Pinè bonus sprint 14km later their lead stood at 2:45, the break's maximum lead of the stage.

After three hours of racing the 10-man break's lead stood at 1:15 with 48km remaining. Sensing the demise of the break, Belkov attacked solo as they approached the Vigolo Vattoro climb. The Russian would begin the climb with a 30 second lead on his former breakaway companions and an additional 30 seconds on the field.

The day-long escape would be absorbed, however, with 29km to go leading to the Bertolini counter-attack which would dash the plans of the sprinters in Trento.