Pellizotti up to fourth overall with stage win

PESCHICI, Italy, May 16 (Reuters) Italy's Franco Pellizotti today won the 10th stage of the Giro d'Italia and moved up to fourth in the overall standings.

The Liquigas rider beat Russia's Vladimir Efimkin and Kazakhstan's Serguei Yakovlev in a sprint on the short uphill finish at the end of the 190-km stage from Termoli to Peschici.

He finished three minutes and 23 seconds ahead of race leader and compatriot Ivan Basso and so moved up from 23rd place to fourth.

Pellizotti is two minutes and five seconds behind Basso.

Jose Gutierrez of Spain is second 1:34 adrift of Basso and Italy's Damiano Cunego is third at 1:48.

''I was riding to try and win the stage. Moving up to fourth is a nice bonus,'' 28 year-old Pellizotti said.

''Danilo Di Luca is the leader of our team at the Giro but when's there's two of you it's always an advantage because you can come up with a better race strategy. Now we're well placed for the second half of the Giro.

''I have to share victory with my team mate Charly Wegelius.

We didn't have any riders in the early breakaway and so we attacked together to catch them. There were a lot of attacks in the final part of the stage but Charly sacrificed his chances to help me. He was exceptional.'' Pellizotti caught and passed Axel Merckx, son of cycling great Eddy, in the final hundred metres of the stage.

The Belgian, whose father won the Giro five times, was disappointed after finishing 11th.

''I tried everything to win because I knew didn't have a chance in a sprint. I attacked with 15 kilometres to go, got a gap and gave it my all. It's a pity to lose like that but the strongest rider won,'' Merckx said.

After reaching the southern most point of the 2006 route, the Giro transfers to Tuscany tomorrow for the second rest day of this year's race.

Racing resumes on Thursday with a 50 km individual time trial around Pontedera.

The Giro d'Italia ends in Milan on May 28.

REUTERS SY PM2230