Alessandro Petacchi of Italy equalled the post-war record of seven stage wins in one edition of the Giro d'Italia when he sprinted to victory on the 14th stage today.
Petacchi edged out Fred Rodriguez of the United States at the end of a 175-km stage that started in Trieste and concluded in the Croatian town of Pula. The Fassa Bortolo rider has now matches the feats of Belgian riders Roger De Vlaemenick and Freddy Maertens in 1975 and 1977 respectively, and Italian Giuseppe Saronni in 1980.
Yaroslav Popovych of the Ukraine retained the overall race lead, maintaining a three-second gap on compatriot Serhiy Honchar. Australia's Bradley McGee is one minute and two seconds behind.
Petacchi will try for a record eighth stage win in Monday's 234-km fourteenth stage from Porec in Croatia to San Vendemiano in north-east Italy.
Today's stage
1 Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) Fassa Bortolo 4hr 08min 58sec
2 Fred Rodriguez (USA) same time
3 Marco Velo (ITA) same time
4 Olaf Pollack (GER) same time
5 Alexandre Usov (BLR) same time
Overall standings
1 Yaroslav Popovych (UKR) Landbouwkrediet 60hr 48min 38sec
2 Serhiy Honchar (UKR) +03sec
3 Brad McGee (AUS) +1:02
4 Gilberto Simoni (ITA) +1:27
5 Franco Pellizotti (ITA) +1:32
Filed by Mark O'Neill-Cummins
