Petacchi wins crash-fest

The Milram sprinter surged across the line in front of Italian compatriot Gabriele Balducci and Australia's Robbie McEwen to claim his 22nd career Tour of Italy victory.

But what followed was complete chaos, as rider after rider skidded across the line on their backsides after crashing in the race's final metres.

World champion Paolo Bettini and race leader Andrea Noe were among the crash victims, which also included Discovery Channel leader Yaroslav Popovych.

Up until the final spectacle, Wednesday's most interesting event was a 150-km long attack by Frenchman Mickael Buffaz carried out entirely on his own for the majority of the race.

The peloton caught Buffaz, who launched the attack with Carl Naibo before dropping his compatriot, with 12 kilometres left to ride in the 198-kilometre trip from Serravale Scrivia to Pinerolo after the Cofidis rider saw his lead fluctuate up-and-down between four and nine minutes.

Thursday's 12th stage takes the peloton 163-km from Scalenghe to Briançon.