Ingnatiev takes a thriller in Macerata

Mikhail Ignatiev (Katusha) took a gritty solo win on Monday in the penultimate stage of Tirreno-Adriatico, besting Stefano Garzelli (Acqua & Sapone) and Cadel Evans (BMC Racing) by five seconds on the finishing ascent in Macerata. The 24-year-old Russian, a gold medalist in the points race at the 2004 Olympics, was the only member of a 12-man break to fend off the chasing efforts of the maglia azzurra group after he attacked his fellow escapees eight kilometres from the finish to earn his first victory in three years.

"I attacked and I did a good individual time trial till the finish," said Ignatiev, who has proven his prowess against the clock with a 2005 U23 time trial world championship. "My legs were good and I thought it would be nice to try something in this stage. I tried [in] some stages before, but without success. Now, I did it and for me a stage [win] in Macerata is something special. I wanted so much to win here and, finally, I did it."

As Ignatiev powered up the steep, narrow streets of Macerata on the last of three 19km finishing circuits, a furious battle for overall supremacy took place behind the solo Russian. Race leader Michele Scarponi (Androni Giocattoli) couldn't match the surge of Garzelli and Evans on the climb to the finish, with gradients up to 19 percent, but the 30-year old Italian managed to finished seconds later in sixth place. Scarponi, the defending Tirreno-Adriatico champion, remains in the lead by a tenuous two seconds over Garzelli while Evans moves into third, 12 seconds back.

Long day in the saddle for the early break

A powerful 12-rider break, comprised of Assan Bazayev (Astana), Marcus Burghardt (BMC Racing Team), Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Caisse d'Epargne), Ruben Perez Moreno (Euskaltel - Euskadi), Martijn Maaskant (Garmin - Transitions), Simon Spilak (Lampre-Farnese Vini), Tom Boonen (Quick Step), Paul Martens (Rabobank), Thomas Löfkvist (Sky Professional Cycling Team), Peter Velits (Team HTC - Columbia), Mikhail Ignatiev (Team Katusha) and Matti Breschel (Team Saxo Bank), escaped after eight kilometres of racing and held more than a two minute lead while on the penultimate finishing circuit inside of 30km to the finish.

Martens and Spilak, 1:36 and 1:48 respectively behind Scarponi on general classification, were the only overall threats in the escape and Scarponi's Androni Giocattoli team kept a steady tempo at the head of the field to reduce the margin.

The cohesion of the escapees soon began to falter as Löfkvist attacked with 26km remaining on the short ascent of the Santa Maria Del Monte. The Swede was joined by Bazayev, but the duo were absorbed at the climb's summit.

Löfkvist continued to apply pressure on the descent, and drew Spilak and Ignatiev away from the break, but this move, too, was neutralized by the escapees.

As the leaders climbed the sinuous ascent to the finish at the conclusion of their penultimate lap, Velits made a strong attack on the 19 percent gradient and began the final circuit with a 20-second lead over the 11 chasers in the break. The peloton entered the final finishing circuit 1:10 behind the break, still led by Scarponi's Androni Giocattoli squad.

Velits was joined by five of his breakaway companions, Bazayev, Maaskant, Löfkvist, Ignatiev and Spilak, to form a leading sextet, but under the impetus of Boonen the break reformed to its original 12-rider makeup with 9km to the finish.

Down to the wire

One kilometer later, Ignatiev attacked the break and jumped out to a 20-second advantage. While Scarponi's Androni Giocattoli no longer worried about Martens and Spilak wresting the leader's jersey from their captain's shoulders, having reduced the break's lead to less than one minute, their attention turned to other riders in the maglia azzurra group, such as Garzelli, Iglinskiy and Evans, who were all within 18 seconds of the Italian overall.

Lampre, BMC and Liquigas all contributed riders to the head of the field as the pace ramped up in anticipation of the final ascent to Macerta's finish line.

When Ignatiev reached 2.5km to go on his solo effort the Scarponi group remained at 50 seconds while the Russian's former breakaway companions splintered into several chase groups behind him approaching the finishing climb, with Velits and Spilak closest to the Russian.

Ignatiev passed under the flamme rouge with a 12-second advantage on Velits with the BMC and Liquigas-led peloton a further 36 seconds back.

As the young Russian dug deep in search of his first victor in three years, all of his former breakaway companions were swept up inside the final kilometre. Garzelli and Evans gave it their all in an attempt to crack Scarponi and the duo managed to gap the race leader approaching the finish.

Ignatiev would not be denied his victory, however, while Garzelli out-sprinted Evans to finish third on the stage, five seconds behind the Russian. Robert Gesink (Rabobank) crossed the line in fourth, followed by Frenchman Benoit Vaugrenard (Francaise Des Jeux).

Scarponi, battered from his crash the previous day, finished in sixth and managed to just retain his maglia azzurra by the slimmest of margins.