Riccardo Ricco crosses the line in Tivoli, 30km from Rome

Italian Riccardo Ricco won the eighth stage of the Giro d'Italia on Saturday - his second of this year's race.

The Saunier Duval rider broke away from a group of about 40 in the last 100m to cross the line in a time of four hours 41 minutes and five seconds.

Paolo Bettini was second home, followed by Davide Rebellin, on the 208km leg from Rivisondoli to Tivoli.

Ricco's compatriot Giovanni Visconti kept the overall leader's pink jersey for a third day.

A small breakaway group of four riders built a lead of more than six minutes, but were caught by the peloton 10km from the finish.

Ricco's team-mate Leonardo Piepoli attacked on the final climb with 3km remaining, and about 40 riders followed.

Defending Giro champion Di Luca shot to the front after Piepoli tired, but Ricco, Bettini, Rebellin and two other riders passed him with 400m to go.

"Today I didn't think that I could do it," said the winner. "Piepoli did great work at the end to set the pace. All the team had a hand in the victory."

The win earned Ricco a 20-second bonus and moved him to within six seconds of Di Luca, who is fourth in the overall standings.

The two are expected to battle for the final victory during the last week of the Giro in the Alps.

Alberto Contador of Spain, last year's Tour De France winner, is also expected to be a contender in the final week but is 29 seconds behind Di Luca.

Visconti, who has an nine-second lead over Matthias Russ, said: "I'm not used to wearing the pink jersey, but I'm certainly happy to be able to wear it for another day."

The Giro continues Sunday with a mostly flat 218km leg from Civitavecchia to San Vincenzo.

Giro d'Italia stage eight results:
1. R Ricco (Ita/Saunier Duval) 4hrs 41mins 05secs
2. P Bettini (Ita/Quick-Step) =
3. D Rebellin (Ita/Gerolsteiner) =
4. F Pellizotti (Ita/Liquigas) =
5. D Pietropolli (Ita/Team LPR) =
6. D Di Luca (Ita/Team LPR) =
7. Emanuele Sella (Ita/CSF-Navigare) =
8. Domenico Pozzovivo(Ita/CSF-Navigare) =
9. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita/LPR-Brakes) =
10. Felix Cardenas (Col/Barloworld) =
Selected Others:
126. Geraint Thomas (GB/Barloworld)
133. David Millar (GB/Slipstream Chipotle Presented By H30)
157. Mark Cavendish (GB/Team High Road)
159. Bradley Wiggins (GB/Team High Road)
169. Charles Wegelius (GB/Liquigas)

General classification:
1. G Visconti (Ita) 36 hours 44 minutes 6 secs
2. M Russ 9(Ger) @ 9 seconds
3. G Bosisio (Ita) @ 5:53
4. D Di Luca (Ita) @ 7:27
5. R Ricco (Ita) @ 7:33
6. E Sella (Ita) @ 7:36
7. F Rafael Cardenas (Col) @ 7:46
8. A Contador (Spa) @ 7:56
9. Franco Pellizotti (Ita) @ 8:11
10. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) @ 8:19
Selected Others:
90. David Millar (GB) @ 37:46
134. Geraint Thomas (GB) @ 59:25
159. Steven Cummings (GB) @ 1:10:44
160. Charles Wegelius (GB) @ 1:12:06
161. Mark Cavendish (GB) @ 1:13:32
163. Bradley Wiggins (GB) @ 1:13:47