Lombardi (right) won the 133km race |
Giovanni Lombardi beat three fellow Italians in a four-way sprint to take the 20th stage of the Giro d'Italia from Cannobio to Cantu on Saturday.
Lombardi, representing the Domina Vacanze team, earned his first season win in a time of three hours, five minutes and 30 seconds.
The former Olympic champion fought off the challenges of Eddy Mazzoleni and Giuliano Figueras after veteran Marco Pantini led a breakaway.
Compatriot Gilberto Simoni, who went into the stage with an eight-minute lead, retained the overall leader's pink jersey ahead of Sunday's time trial in Milan.
After his victory, Lombardi admitted he was delighted with his form.
"It was a tough day for me, but at last I clinched a stage win."
Stage 20 results
1. Giovanni Lombardi (Ita) Domina Vacanze three hours five minutes 30 seconds
2. Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) same time
3. Giuliano Figueras (ITA) same time
4. Marco Velo (Ita) same time 5. Mario Manzoni (Ita) + 4 secs
6. Paolo Lanfranchi (Ita) + 4
7. Michele Gobbi (Ita) + 4, 8. Constantino Zaballa (SPA) + 4
9. Fortunato Baliani (Ita) + 4, 10. Vladimir Duma (Ukr) + 4
Selected
15. Marco Pantani (Ita) + 4 secs
38. Gilberto Simoni (ITA) 1:42, 41
Overall standings
1 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) 85 hours 44 minutes 39 seconds
2 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) + 8mins 4secs
3 Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) + 8.06
4 Andrea Noe (Ita) + 9.49
5 Georg Totschnig (Aut) + 10.35
6 Raimondas Rumsas (Lit) + 11.01
7 Dario Frigo (Ita) + 12.38
8 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) + 14:21
9 Serhiy Honchar (Ukr) + 16.28
10 Wladimir Belli (Ita) + 20.17
Also:
51 Charles Wegelius (Gbr) + 1.37.36
82 Julian Winn (Gbr) + 2.30.46