Denis Menchov triumphed at Alpe di Siusi on stage five of the Giro d'Italia, while second-placed Danilo Di Luca claimed the pink jersey.
Di Luca secures pink jersey
Rabobank's Denis Menchov triumphed at Alpe di Siusi on stage five of the Giro d'Italia, while second-placed Danilo Di Luca claimed the pink jersey.
Menchov was part of a seven-man group that remained together entering the final kilometre of the 125km stage through the Dolomites from San Martino di Castrozza.
Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre attacked first but Menchov surged past in the closing stages to take the victory.
Di Luca, who won stage four, crossed the line two seconds behind the Russian but, crucially, he was three seconds ahead of third-placed Thomas Lovkvist - just enough to take the overall lead off the Swede.
Astana's Lance Armstrong endured the toughest day of his comeback thus far, suffering badly on the final 25km ascent to lose just under three minutes to Menchov.
Stage five result1 D Menchov (Rus/Rabobank) 3 hrs 15 mins 24 secs
2 D Di Luca (Ita/Team LPR) +2 secs
3 T Lovkvist (Swe/Columbia) +5"
4 I Basso (Ita/Liquigas) "
5 L Leipheimer (US/Astana) +9"
6 C Horner (US/Astana) "
7 C Sastre (Spn/Cervelo) +19"
8 D Arroyo (Spn/Caisse d'Epargne) +22"
9 M Rogers (Aus/Columbia) "
10 F Kessiakoff (Swe/Fuji) "
