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Italy's Danilo Di Luca regains lead in Tour of Italy

Danilo Di Luca celebrates in Montevergine Di Mercogliano, Italy, on Wednesday. PHOTO: AFP

Italian Danilo Di Luca reclaimed the overall race leader's pink jersey by winning the fourth stage of the Tour of Italy on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old Liquigas rider crossed the line at the Montevergine summit after 4hr 22min 42sec following the 153km run from Salerno ahead of compatriots Riccardo Ricco and Damiano Cunego.

Mexican Julio Perez Cuapio led an attack some 9km from the finish but was caught 800m from the line and eventually finished in 11th position, 15 seconds off the pace.

It was the fifth Giro stage win for Di Luca who also won here in 2001.

He reclaims the pink jersey he lost to teammate Enrico Gasparotto on Monday and holds a 26-second advantage on Italian teammate Franco Pellizotti.

"The team did a terrific job," said Di Luca. "I only had to focus on the final 200m. It was only at that point that I gave it everything. I'm over the moon."

But Di Luca insisted that he would not be pushing to retain the leader's jersey yesterday, so as not to put too much pressure on his Liquigas team.

"Our strategy is going to change. The next summit finish is next week [Tuesday]. Between now and then there are a lot of kilometres. It's not worth tiring the team," he said.

Di Luca added that he never felt as strong during a Giro, but warned: "There is always the unknown of the third week."

Gasparotto and world champion Paolo Bettini were involved in a massive crash along with former winner Cunego, one of the favourites for this year's edition, some 68km from the finish.

The pile-up involved dozens of riders in heavy rain that rendered the course very slippery.

The crash split the peloton in two and Cunego needed to change his bike in order to continue.

South African rider Ian McLeod of the Francaise des Jeux team was forced out of the race after suffering a broken collarbone in the pile-up.

The 26-year-old McLeod also suffered a fall in Sunday's second stage.

His withdrawal follows that of teammate Carlos Da Cruz, leaving Francaise des Jeux with just seven riders.

Yesterday's stage was between Teano and Frascati.
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