World champion Mario Cipollini (Domina Vacanze) has won Stage 8 of the Giro. The Lion King did what most cycling fans expected him to do during the Giro's first week--tie Alfredo Binda's record for Giro stage wins. Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo) finished second, and Robbie McEwen (Lotto) took third. Stefano Garzelli (Vini Caldirola) remains the maglia rosa.

The stage began at a pedestrian pace, with Vini Caldirola riding tempo. The field stayed together until Elio Aggiano (Formaggio Pinzolo Fiave), Ignacio Gutierrez (Kelme), Marco Zanetti (De Nardi), Carlos Da Cruz (La Francaise des Jeux.com), Sergei Adyeyev (Landbouwkrediet), and Marko Marini (Tenax) attacked with 47 km left. The six riders forged a 40-second lead before the peloton started chasing with 30 km remaining.

Fassa Bortolo and Domina Vacanze took over the chase, and the bunch reeled in most of the break on the Foce Scopatone with 20 km left. Adyeyev soloed away from his companions, but the peloton caught with with 15 km remaining.

Mercatone Uno and Saeco led the descent of Foce Scopatone, and Fassa Bortolo, Team Fakta, and Domina Vacanze took over at the base. With three km left, Domina Vacanze led the cavalry charge to the finish. With 250 m remaining, Cipollini came around teammate Giovanni Lombardi and won easily.

In the overall, Garzelli leads Gilberto Simoni (Saeco) by 0:31 and Andrea Noe (Alessio) by 0:44. Stage 9 should not change things. The 160-km ride from Arezzo to Montecatini Terme will be rolling but flat for the last 70 km. It should end in a bunch sprint. Will Cipollini win again? How about Petacchi or McEwen? Check in at http://www.roadcycling.com/ and find out!

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