Pavel Brutt wins fifth stage of Giro

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Pavel Brutt wins fifth stage of Giro. Photo: EFE

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• Giro d'Italia 2008

Pavel Brutt won the fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia Wednesday after an early breakaway with four other riders, while Franco Pellizotti retained the overall lead for a fourth day.

Brutt, who rides for Tinkoff Credit System, broke away from the five-man group with about 500 meters (yards) left to finish the hilly 203-kilometer (126-mile) leg in an unofficial time of 5 hours, 4 minutes, 52 seconds.

Johannes Frohlinger finished second, followed by Luis Felipe Laverde Jimenez and Francisco Perez Sanchez.

Those four and David Millar rode ahead of the main pack for about 180 kilometers (112 miles), until Millar's chain broke with about one kilometer (0.6 miles) left in the race. Unable to continue, the English rider hurled his bike over the metal barriers and into a field in frustration.

The Giro continues Thursday with a 231-kilometer (144-mile) leg from Potenza to Peschici.

Race organizers cut 34 kilometers (21 miles) off the stage, which will still be the longest of the Giro, to give the riders more rest time following several long transfers after the previous stages. The race has also been marred by several large crashes that forced several riders to withdraw with injuries.

Provisional results after the 203-km fifth stage of the Giro d'Italia:

1. Pavel Brutt (Russia / Tinkoff ) 5hrs 04mins 52secs
2. Johannes Froehlinger (Germany / Gerolsteiner ) +4secs
3. Luis Felipe Laverde (Colombia / CSF Group ) +10"
4. Francisco Perez (Spain / Caisse d'Epargne ) +25"
5. Paolo Bettini (Italy / Quick-Step ) +31"
6. Daniele Pietropolli (Italy / Team LPR )
7. Riccardo Ricco (Italy / Saunier Duval )
8. Franco Pellizotti (Italy / Liquigas )
9. Jussi Veikkanen (Finland / Francaise des Jeux )
10. Alberto Contador (Spain / Astana )
Overall standings (after 5 of 21 stages)

1. Franco Pellizotti (Italy / Liquigas ) 21hrs 46mins 49secs
2. Christian Vande Velde (U.S. / Slipstream ) +1 sec
3. Danilo Di Luca (Italy / Team LPR ) +7"
4. Morris Possoni (Italy / High Road ) +8"
5. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy / Liquigas )
6. Nicki Sorensen (Denmark / Team CSC ) +17"
7. Kanstantin Sivtsov (Belarus / High Road ) +18"
8. Paolo Savoldelli (Italy / Team LPR ) +19"
9. Andrea Noe (Italy / Liquigas ) +22"
10. Enrico Gasparotto (Italy / Barloworld ) +25"

Points

1. Daniele Bennati (Italy / Liquigas ) 46
2. Riccardo Ricco (Italy / Saunier Duval ) 34
King of the mountains
1. Emanuele Sella (Italy / CSF Group ) 9 points
2. Daniele Pietropolli (Italy / Team LPR ) 5
3. Luis Felipe Laverde (Colombia / CSF Group ) 3
4. David Loosli (Switzerland / Lampre ) 3
5. Rik Verbrugghe (Belgium / Cofidis ) 3