Italy's Riccardo Ricco of the Saunier Duval team showed he will be a genuine contender for the Giro d'Italia by winning this hilly 207km second stage from Cefalu to Agrigento.
Ricco beat compatriots Danilo Di Luca and Davide Rebellin with a powerful sprint after the three-kilometre climb to the finish split the main field.
Italy's Franco Pellizotti of the Liquigas team finished fourth and is the new race leader after previous leader Christian Vande Velde of the US finished ten seconds behind.
Vande Velde is now in second place, one second behind Ricco. Denmark's Chris Sorensen of the CSC team is third at seven seconds.
'I felt good on the climb to the finish and so went for it,' Ricco told reporters.
'This win is a clear sign that my form is good. I suffered on the climb up to the finish but I think the riders behind me suffered even more. In cycling you have to win whenever you get the chance.'
The 24 year-old Ricco finished sixth in the 2007 Giro d'Italia but is aiming to win this year.
He said: 'Beating riders like Danilo Di Luca and Davide Rebellin is a good sign for later in the race. I'm only at 90% because I want to be at my best for the decisive final week in the mountains. My goal is to win the Giro.'
Pellizotti pulled on the race leader's pink jersey for the first time in his eight-year professional career after the stage and made it clear he was still chasing overall victory.
'Wearing the pink jersey means a lot to me because I've dreamed about it as a boy but my big goal is to win the Giro and wear the pink jersey in Milan on the last day,' he told reporters.
He will wear the pink jersey during Monday's 221km third stage from Catania to Milazzo.
