Savoldelli saved

The topographical profile of Saturday's Stage 19 -- a 190 km haul between Savigliano and Sestriere -- spiked as if in cardiac arrhythmia. Twice the race tackled the category-one ascent to the Sestriere ski station. But the real Godzilla of the day was the Colle delle Finestre, an unprecedented -- and demented -- addition to the Giro d'Italia.

The climb was a time-machine ride back to the days of Coppi and Bartali, when races dabbled in unknown terrain, testing mountain grades that surpassed the limits of reason.

The Finestre climbed for 18 km, the first 10.6 km at a leg-crunching average grade of 9.2 percent, but pitching to a maximum of 14 percent.

Those first 10.6 km, however, were also paved. The final 7.9 km -- still pitched at and over 10 percent -- rattled over a narrow, rock-strewn track of hard-packed dirt and dust, zig-zagging leg-cutting switchbacks mobbed by legions of fans.

The pink-jersey hostilities were launched at the very foot of the Finestre by Gilberto Simoni (Lampre), Jose Rujano (Selle Italia) and Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas), the trio sitting second, third and fourth respectively overall before the start of Saturday's race.

The acceleration shattered the pack -- but also Paolo Savoldelli, the pink jersey flummoxed into oxygen debt and pummelled to a deficit of 2 min 18 sec at the Finestre's summit.

Savoldelli had come into the day lording a 2 min 9 sec general-classification lead over Simoni. The Discovery Channel captain -- and 2002 Giro champion -- had been virtually stripped of the pink jersey by Simoni, but a nine-kilometre descent and then a final 11 km climb to the finish in Sestriere still remained for Salvoldelli to pursue pink-jersey salvation.

Nicknamed "The Falcon" for his death-defying descending prowess, Savoldelli bridged up to and formed a hunting alliance with Tadej Valjavec (Phonak), Juan Manuel Garate (Saunier Duval), Wim Van Huffel (Davitamon), Mauricio Ardila (Davitamon) and Serguei Gonchar (Domina Vacanze).

Isolated no more, Savoldelli reeled himself back to 1 min 25 sec at the foot of the final ascension to Sestriere -- just in time to hear race radio announce Rujano's solo attack at the front of the race.

The Venezuelan super climber staggered Simoni, the Italian former double Giro winner (2001, 2003) left legless by Rujano's acceleration.

Rujano was clear for the stage win. Simoni and Di Luca were battling fatigue and cramps respectively. Savoldelli was alternately raging and then retching his chase pace. With bonus points to be calculated at the finish and the Giro's leaders cracking all over the climb, the general classification was becoming a master class of mathematics.

In the end, Rujano -- the green-jersey wearer of the Giro's best climber -- sealed the stage, ecstatic with the biggest triumph of his career.

Simoni survived for second on the stage, 26 sec further back. All eyes then turned to the clock and how many ticks would pass before Savoldelli suffered in to finish.

1 min 55 sec back of Rujano, the Discovery Channel man tottered home, coddled instantly by his American team, which relayed the news: Savoldelli had saved his pink shirt for 28 sec from Simoni.

"I'm still a bit dazed but I realise I've won the Giro d'Italia," Savoldelli said.

"Today was the toughest stage of the whole Giro but I think I rode intelligently and sealed overall victory because I kept my nerve."

Stage winner Rujano sits in third overall, 45 sec off the pace ahead of Sunday's final 119-km stage home to Milan. Flat and furious, Sunday is a day for the sprinters -- but not for the G.C. contenders. Barring mishap or injury, it's more or less safe to say: Paolo Savoldelli has this race won.

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