With the 86th Giro d’Italia essentially a foregone conclusion, and most of the sprinters having been eliminated in Thursday’s giant mountain stage, stage 20 was a chance for the domestiques to shine. And at the finish, it was Giovanni Lombardi who outkicked three breakaway companions to seize another victory of opportunity, further distinguishing himself as one of the world’s shrewdest, fastest, and consequently most dangerous riders to have in a breakaway.

The Italian with the broad, smiling face is normally the final leadout man in the Domina Vacanze train, charged with delivering Mario Cipollini to the final few hundred meters. He has plenty of speed, and at 34 years of age come June 20, lots of experience to go with it.

But today, in the absence of the Lion King, Lombardi was free to go on the attack. “We decided as a team to attack rather than to go for the field sprint, because (Lampre’s Jan) Svorada is going too well,” the powerfully built Lombardi remarked later. “I attacked first with Gabriele, and then I kept chasing other attacks. We executed great team tactics, and I personally am going very well right now.”

A beautiful day for cycling in Italy.

Photo: Graham Watson

Lombardi attempted his first breakaway with teammate Gabriele Colombo, in Lonate Ceppino south of Varese, 93km into the 133km stage. Another 25 riders joined the Domina duo and built a gap of nearly a minute on the peloton by the Intergiro sprint at kilometer 98. Immediately after the sprint, Marco Pantani attacked with Mercatone Uno teammate Cristian Gasperoni, who continued when Pantani sat up as they were caught by a small group. Four other riders bridged to Gasperoni, but the break never got more than a few seconds on the peloton.

At 110km, though, Lombardi and Marco Velo (Fassa Bortolo) jumped out of the group and quickly gained a half minute. A few kilometers later, Giuliano Figueras (Panaria) and Eddy Mazzoleni (Vini Caldirola-Sidermec) took off after them. At the mountain-points sprint on the first entry into Cantú, a town halfway between Milan and Lake Como, Lombardi led Velo, with Mazzoleni and Figueras 18 seconds back. Tenax’s Pozzi was dangling a half-minute down, the rest of the Pantani group was at 45 seconds, and the main pack was at 1:45.

As Figueras and Mazzoleni caught the two leaders, Mazzoleni attacked. Inspired by his third place the day before on the climb to Cascata del Toce, and free of some of his chores on team leader Stefano Garzelli’s behalf, he persisted alone for several kilometers until Lombardi bridged up.

“I attacked because I knew that with Lombardi I would have lost anyway,” Mazzoleni said afterward. “When I got away alone, there was a head wind, and that put me in a bit of difficulty.”

With 2km left, Velo and Figueras rejoined the two leaders, and the race became tactical, with the others letting Velo lead as the Pantani group closed to less than 20 seconds back. This cat-and-mouse continued into the final 400 meters, with the chase group breathing down their necks, until finally Lombardi leapt off Velo’s wheel. Mazzoleni and Figueras both fought back valiantly, but to no avail as Lombardi raised his arms in victory and punched the air with glee.

“That was a long sprint after a hard day! I thought the line would never come,” he gasped in relief.

Mercatone Uno’s Mario Manzoni led in the group of 23 a mere four seconds back, while the Saeco machine towed race leader Simoni and the remaining 79 riders across the line at 1:42 behind.

Eddy Mazzoleni tries to lose Lombardi ... to no avail.

Photo: Graham Watson

Simoni told the news service AFP that he had been glad to finish safely after a careful ride.

"This was a very nervy stage as it was the last chance for teams which haven't won anything yet,” Simoni said. “So I was glad to see them get away and that meant the final run-in was less dangerous for me."

Mazzoleni, too, was pleased with the way things turned out.

“I got second in the sprint, which with Lombardi is like a victory,” he said. “I really felt great, and I did all I could to win. I appreciate my teammates and team directors who gave me the freedom to race my own race in this final stage. I hope with all my heart that Stefano succeeds in winning another Giro (he won in 2000). A captain like him is really rare; at the end of every stage he always thanks me!”

Garzelli will have himself to thank if he comes through Sunday's final 33km time trial still in possession of second place overall. While Simoni’s eight-minute lead is all but insurmountable, Garzelli is just two seconds up on Yaroslav Popovych (Landbouwkrediet-Colnago), who beat him by 43 seconds in the 42.5km time trial from Merano to Bolzano.

“Unfortunately, my hip still hurts,” said Garzelli. “After my chiropractor worked on it, I could walk okay, but the bruise on the head of the femur prevents me from being able to stand and push the pedals as I would like.

“Tomorrow I will do all I can to hold onto second place, and in a time trial, you don’t have to stand on the pedals much. I at least hope to not make the same errors I did in the Bolzano time trial (where he was overgeared). I’m afraid my crash is determining the end of my Giro, but unfortunately, crashing is part of racing.”