Foerster fine in Frascati

The Gerolsteiner rider beat Norway's Thor Hushovd and Italian Alessandro Petacchi in a sprint finish at the end of 173km stage.

Petacchi, who won stage three on Monday, was boxed in by Panaria's Axel Richeze in a twisting finish while Robbie McEwen, who took stage two, had to stop pedalling completely with the Australian unable to find a way through.

29-year-old Foerster darted through a gap in the middle to take his third stage victory in a Grand Tour and his second at the Giro following success in the last stage of the 2006 race.

"My victory in Milan was by first big win but this win is more important because there were more big-name sprinters to beat," Foerster said.

"Now I'm older and wiser. I had good legs in the final kilometre and took a lot of risks, but had the legs to win the sprint.

"The finale was very dangerous and I clashed with Danilo Napolitano of the Lampre team. He pushed me towards the barriers but sprinters are like that, we take risks.

"I defended myself and was the strongest in the final acceleration to the finish line. At Gerolsteiner we don't have a lead out train like Milram but if I have the legs I know I can win any kind of sprint."

Italy's Danilo Di Luca of the Liquigas team retained the overall race lead after finishing safely in the main bunch.

Michael Buffaz (Cofidis) and Mikhail Ignatiev (Tinkoff) enriched the stage with an early attack and the duo built up a lead of over five minutes.

Buffaz was swallowed up by the bunch with the 40km remaining and the 22-year-old Russian was reeled back just before a third category climb with 20km left.

Several riders attempted a counter-attack but the sprinters' teams reeled back any escapes resulting in a dash for the line.