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Stefano Garzelli, second on the stage, cut the gap on fellow Italian and defending champion Scarponi to two seconds but has it all to do in Tuesday''s last stage to snatch victory.

World champion Cadel Evans was third on the 134-km run from Montecosaro to Macerata to lie third overall, 12 seconds from Androni Giocattoli''s Scarponi.

The race leader took his place in the peleton despite a crash on Sunday which led to him having x-rays on an injured wrist.

Scarponi was passed fit and did well to finish sixth on the stage after Ignatiev sped away from the pack in the tight streets of Macerata near Italy''s eastern Adriatic coast.

A splinter group of riders tried to reel in the Russian but it was too late.The first big race of the Italian season concludes on Tuesday with a 164 km journey from Civitanova Marche to San Benedetto del Tronto.

Several riders will then move on to Saturday''s Milan-San Remo, where Lance Armstrong has confirmed he will take part.