Danilo Di Luca looks certain to be crowned Giro d'Italia winner on Sunday after negotiating Saturday's time-trial without major loss of time to his pursuers.
The 20th and penultimate stage of this year's race saw the riders race against the clock in a 43km run from the wine-making town of Bardolino to Verona.
The stage was won by Paolo Savoldelli ahead of his Astana team-mate Eddy Mazzoleni. American David Zabriskie was third while Di Luca finished eighth.
It was the fourth stage win in his Giro career for Savoldelli, who twice has won the overall race in 2002 and 2005.
Savoldelli was 36 seconds ahead of Mazzoleni at the finishing line near Verona's historic amphitheatre.
Once a gladiatorial arena, the amphitheatre now hosts summer open-air opera concerts but the fat lady has almost sung now on the overall result of this year's Giro.
It is Italian Di Luca who is almost certain to be wearing the pink jersey on Sunday when the race ends in Milan.
Di Luca has 1 minute 55 seconds in hand over his closest challenger, Andy Schleck of Luxembourg, while Mazzoleni is 2:25 off the pace.
Schleck, who finished sixth on Saturday, did pick up some time but never looked likely to threaten Di Luca's overall lead.
With a 3:15 cushion over fourth-placed Gilberto Simoni, like Savoldelli a two-time winner of the race second only to the Tour de France in prestige, it would seem that only a crash or an injury to Di Luca in Sunday's 181km ride from Vestone to Milan can now deny him the spoils.
Di Luca's Liquigas team-mates will doubtless form a praetorian guard around their leader to prevent any accidents or to react to any unlikely attack by Schleck and co who will have little opportunity to mount a breakaway.
The stage is set in Sunday in Milan for another sprint finish with Alessandro Petacchi hopeful of his fifth stage win of this year's Giro and his 24th overall.
However, it is Di Luca who can expect a coronation after the conclusion of the race which finishes on the Corso Venezia in Milan.
Results and standings after Saturday's 43kms stage of the Giro d'Italia:
1. Paolo Savoldelli (Italy / Astana) 52mins 20secs
2. Eddy Mazzoleni (Italy / Astana) +36"
3. David Zabriskie (U.S. / Team CSC) +38"
4. Laszlo Bodrogi (Hungary / Credit Agricole) +1:08"
5. Marzio Bruseghin (Italy / Lampre) +1:16"
6. Andy Schleck (Luxembourg / Team CSC) +1:28"
7. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy / Liquigas) +1:44"
8. Danilo Di Luca (Italy / Liquigas) +1:57"
9. Mikhail Ignatiev (Russia / Tinkoff) +2:01"
10. Franco Pellizotti (Italy / Liquigas) +2:02"
Overall standings:
1. Danilo Di Luca (Italy / Liquigas) 87hrs 40mins 45secs
2. Andy Schleck (Luxembourg / Team CSC) +1:55"
3. Eddy Mazzoleni (Italy / Astana) +2:25"
4. Gilberto Simoni (Italy / Saunier Duval) +3:15"
5. Damiano Cunego (Italy / Lampre) +3:49"
6. Riccardo Ricco (Italy / Saunier Duval) +7:00"
7. Evgueni Petrov (Russia / Tinkoff) +8:34"
8. Marzio Bruseghin (Italy / Lampre) +10:14"
9. Franco Pellizotti (Italy / Liquigas) +10:44"
10. David Arroyo (Spain / Caisse d'Epargne) +11:58"
