Italian Matteo Priamo won stage six of the Giro d'Italia on Thursday and compatriot Giovanni Visconti claimed the leader's pink jersey after the abbreviated race from Potenza to Peschici on the spur of Italy's boot.
Ireland's Philip Deignan finished with all the race favourites, thus preserving his 61st position overall.
He came home 43rd on the stage, with his group crossing the line 11 minutes behind Priamo.
The stage was shortened by 34km to 231.6km after representatives from the peloton petitioned the organisers.
The complaints came after some lengthy transfers in the early stages of the race left many riders with too little time to rest, although today's ride was still the longest in the tour.
Priamo and Visconti's successes came as reward for a day-long breakaway group of 11.
The 26-year-old Priamo of CSF Group Navigare made his move in the final 10 kilometres taking Alan Perez of Euskaltel-Euskadi with him before attacking the Spaniard on the final short rise to the finish.
Eight seconds separated Priamo from Perez while Nikolai Trussov of Russia was third 27 seconds off the stage winner.
Ireland's Philip Deignan finished in 43rd position and lies 61st overall.
Italian national champion Visconti took the race lead from compatriot Franco Pellizotti who had led the Giro for four days.
German Matthias Russ of Gerolsteiner moved up to second overall with Daniele Nardello of Italy third.
Visconti was as surprised as anyone to find himself in the pink jersey.
He said: 'This morning, I said I would want to win something soon.
'I did not win the stage, but the maglia rosa counts.'
Tomorrow's stage takes the riders from Vasto on the coast up to the highlands of the Abruzzo over a 180 km route which finishes in Pescocostanzo.
Elsewhere, Nicholas Roche pipped Credit Agricole team-mate Jeremy Hunt in a sprint finish to take the first stage of the Internacional Paredes Rota dos Moveis in Portugal.
