Robert Forster of Germany was the victor of Thursday's fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia in another sprint finish.
Forster, who rides for the Gerolsteiner team, crossed the line first by less than the width of a wheel from second-placed Thor Hushovd of Norway.
Italian sprinter Alessandro Petacchi had to settle for third after he was impeded as he looked to win his second stage of this year's Giro.
Petacchi made his feelings clear to members of the Ceramica Panaria-Navigare team whom he blamed for the incident as he crossed the line.
Danilo Di Luca retains ownership of the race leader's pink jersey which has so far this year been monopolised by his Liquigas team, although there is plenty of racing still to come before the June 3 finish in Milan.
The sprint finish came after another failed breakaway earlier in the 173km race from Teano to Frascati, the town 20km south of Rome most famous for its white wine.
Mikhail Ignatieff and Mickael Buffaz were the two leaders with a three minute 46 second lead as the race entered its last 75km.
But the gap then started to fall alarmingly as the peloton began a concerted attempt to reel in the leaders.
Buffaz was caught by the peloton but with 30km Ignatieff only had one minute on the closing pack and with 20km to go he was overtaken by Frantisek Rabon, who briefly led the race.
Elio Aggiano made a determined bid for glory in the closing 5km but it failed as the peloton closed up for another sprint finish.
Petacchi, thanks to the work of his Team Milram colleague Alberto Ongorato, looked well placed as the race approached the finishing line but it was 29-year-old Forster who prevailed ahead of Hushovd with the Italian having to settle for third.
On Friday the race continues as the peloton races from Tivoli to the Umbrian town of Spoleto over 181km.
