Cunego does it again

The 2004 Giro champion beat Michele Scarponi to the line following a 144km trek that featured an 11km first category climb to the summit.

A seven-man escape group held a maximum lead of two and a half minutes on the peloton as they crossed a pair of second category climbs.

Enrico Gasparotto (Liquigas), Aketza Pena Iza (Euskaltel), Giuseppe Palumbo (Acqua and Sapone) and Robert Kiserlovsky (Adria Mobil) were still ahead as they began the final climb but they were reeled in on the ascent before Scarponi counter-attacked with 4km remaining.

The Acqua & Sapone rider held a 14 second lead on Cunego with 2km to go but was caught by the Lampre rider as they went under the 1km remaining kite and it was the 25-year-old who took the honours in the head-to-head.