Super Mario sprints to second win

Cipollini is only nine stage wins away from the record

Click here for results

Italy's Mario Cipollini clinched his second win in four days after outsprinting Danilo Hondo and the main group in the ninth stage of the Giro d'Italia on Monday.

The 34-year-old Saeco sprinter overtook the German Telekom rider in the last 50 metres to claim his 32nd career win in Giro stages.

The victory leaves Cipollini, nicknamed "Super Mario", within nine stage wins of the all-time record set by Italian legend Alfredo Binda.

Compatriot Dario Frigo retained the overall leader's pink jersey with a narrow advantage of three seconds over Portugal's Jose Azevedo after finishing in the main group.

I am satisfied with two stage wins, but I'm looking forward to some more chances by the end of the Giro

  Mario Cipollini

Abraham Olano of Spain is a further 11 seconds behind Frigo to take third place in the overall standings.

Olympic champion Jan Ullrich and Telekom team-mate Kai Hundertmark made the pace in the final kilometres of the 142km flat course from Reggia to Rovigo, in north-east Italy.

It left Hondo, who won successive stages last week, in the best position for the sprint.

The German whizzed into the lead with 300m to go, but could not survive a strong fightback from Cipollini.

"Hondo tried to fight off my comeback taking me gently toward the iron barriers (along the final straight)," said Cipollini.

"I was lucky to find room to pass him and win.

"I am satisfied with two stage wins, but I'm looking forward to some more chances by the end of the Giro."

Slovenian Andrej Hauptman of Tacconi Sport took third place while many of the other leading sprinters were slowed down by Endrio Leoni's fall at the corner preceding the final straight.

On Tuesday, the Giro crosses the Slovenian border as the 10th stage of 212km ends in Ljubljana.

Stage results

1 Mario Cipollini (Ita) 3hr 27min 41sec
2 Danilo Hondo (Ger) same time
3 Andrej Hauptman (Slo) s/t
4 Alberto Ongarato (Ita) s/t
5 Guido Trenti (USA) s/t
6 Zoren Klemencic (Slo) s/t
7 Ivan Quaranta (Ita) s/t
8 Dimitri Konyshev (Rus) s/t
9 Massimo Strazzer (Ita) s/t
10 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) s.t.
11 Abraham Olano (Spa) s/t
12 Michele Gobbi (Ita) s/t
13 Stefano Casagranda (Ita) s/t
14 Davide Casarotto (Ita) s/t
15 Alexis Rodriguez (Spa) s/t

Selected:
23 Dario Frigo (Ita) s/t
29 Marco Pantani (Ita) s/t
50 Davide Rebellin (Ita) s/t
67 Jan Ullrich (Ger) s/t
79 Rik Verbrugghe (Bel) s/t

Overall standings:

1 Frigo 42hr 14min 55sec
2 Jose Azevedo (Por) at 3sec
3 Olano at 14
4 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) at 15
5 Wladimir Belli (Ita) 19
6 Jan Hruska (Cze) 30
7 Oscar Camenzind (Swi) at 37
8 Andrea Noe (Ita) at 44
9 Giuliano Figueras (Ita) at 45
10 Unai Osa (Spa) 48
11 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) at 48
12 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) at 59
13 Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) at 59
14 Ivan Gotti (Ita) at 1min 04sec
15 Pantani (Ita) at 1:11

Selected:
23 Rebellin (Ita) at 1:47
67 Ullrich (Ger) 23:37
121 Cipollini (Ita) 47:00

Back to top