Kurt-Asle Arvesen of Norway was the victor on Sunday in the eighth stage of the Giro d'Italia.
Arvesen, riding for the Danish Team CSC, crossed the finishing line narrowly ahead of second-placed Paolo Bettini of Italy and Assan Bazayev of Kazakhstan as the riders reached the town most famous for the Ferrari Formula One test track after a 200km run from Barberino di Mugello.
T-Mobile rider Marco Pinotti of Italy retained the overall race leader's pink jersey with a 21-second cushion over his compatriot Andrea Noe of the Liquigas team.
The 32-year-old Arvesen has never quite fulfilled the potential he showed in 1997 in San Sebastian when he won the world under-23 championships.
It was his 15th race win at senior level and came on the line despite the best efforts of Olympic road race champion Bettini who has proved very competitive in the early stages of this year's Giro.
A breakaway by 22 riders had given the race its edge and as the race approached its finish it looked as though Emanuele Sella of Italy might snatch victory as he went for glory.
However, Sella could not sustain his challenge as the race went into the last 500m with Bettini looking the likely winner.
Arvesen had other ideas, however, and quickly locked onto Bettini who was unable to hold him off.
Meanwhile, Pinotti was made to work very hard to keep the pink jersey but just about managed it.
Monday's ninth stage will see the peloton embark on a 177km race from Reggio Emilia to Lido di Camaiore.
After that come the Alpine stages that often decide the race with forays into the French and Austrian Alps before the Giro returns to Italy and - eventually - the finishing line in Milan on 3 June.
Stage Eight, Barberino Di Mugello - Fiorano Modenese - 200km
1 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Team CSC 4hrs 44.59secs
2 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Quickstep - Innergetic
3 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana
4 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit System
5 Dionisio Galparsoro Martinez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
6 George Hincapie (USA) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
7 Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Liquigas
8 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2r Prevoyance
9 Emanuele Sella (Ita) Ceramica Panaria - Navigare
10 David Arroyo Duran (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
all at same time
General Classification after Stage Eight:
1 Marco Pinotti (Ita) T-Mobile Team 34hrs 48mins 34secs
2 Andrea Noe' (Ita) Liquigas at 0.28
3 Serguei Yakovlev (Kaz) Astana at 0.54
4 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre-Fondital at 1.06
5 Francisco Javier Vila Errandonea (Spa) Lampre-Fondital at 1.10
6 Jose Luis Rubiera Vigil (Spa) Discovery Channel
7 David Arroyo Duran (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne at 1.43
8 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit System at 1.51
9 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Predictor-Lotto at 2.13
10 Alexandr Arekeev (Rus) Acqua & Sapone-Caffe at 2.17
