Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Team Fakta) has won Stage 10 of the Giro. Arvesen outsprinted Paolo Tiralongo (Panaria) and Gilberto Simoni (Saeco) to win the hilly, 211-km stage from Montecatini to Faenza in 5:34:23. Simoni has taken the maglia rosa from Stefano Garzelli (Vini Caldirola).

From the start, the pace was fast. At 50 km, Ruslan Gryschenko and Volodymyr Bileka (both from Landbouwkrediet), John Fredy Gonzalez and Raffaele Illiano (both from Selle Italia), Constantino Zaballa (Kelme), Dario Cioni and Marzio Bruseghin (both from Fassa Bortolo), Denis Lunghi (Alessio), Paolo Tiralongo and Paolo Lanfranchi (both from Panaria), Charly Wegelius and Matteo Carrara (both from De Nardi), Ronny Scholz (Gerolsteiner), Francisco Errandonea (Lampre), Leonardo Bertagnolli (Saeco), and Arvesen rolled off of the front. Vini Caldirola rode tempo, and the bunch kept the break on a short leash. The escapees led by 3:40 at 146 km.

Saeco joined Vini Caldirola at the front. As the break climbed Monte Casale, the day's next-to-last climb, Bertagnolli attacked. Behind, Simoni attacked. Aitor Gonzalez (Fassa Bortolo) was dropped, and Garzelli failed to chase immediately. Zaballa attacked and forged a 0:30 lead on the break. Simoni was at 1:30, and the maglia rosa group was 0:30 more in arrears.

On the Trebbio, the day's final climb, Simoni overtook the remnants of the break and set his sights on Zaballa. Garzelli found himself isolated. Simoni bridged up to Bertagnolli, and the two caught Zaballa. Arvesen stayed with Simoni and Bertagnolli, and Tiralongo signed on later.

Behind the leaders, a 20-strong chase group formed that included Garzelli, Francesco Casagrande (Lampre), and Andrea Noe and Franco Pellizotti (both from Alessio). The chasers would close to within 0:15 of the leaders with eight km left, but they would get no closer.

During the closing km, Simoni did most of the work. He attacked in the final km, but Arvesen passed him for the win. Bertagnolli finished fourth at 0:10.

In the overall, Simoni leads Garzelli by 0:02 and Noe by 0:56. Stage 11 will not change this state of affairs. The 222-km run from Faenza to San Dona' di Piave will be flat and should end in a bunch sprint. Who will win it? Check in at http://www.roadcycling.com/ and find out!

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