Mario Cipollini outsprinted Australian champion Robbie McEwen to take the ninth stage of the Giro d'Italia.

It was Cipollini's 37th career victory in Giro legs and his third in this year's race.

It also avenged a loss to McEwen in the fourth stage sprint at Strasbourg in France last week.

Germany's Jens Heppner, of Team Telekom, retained the overall leader's pink jersey after he finished in the main group in the same time as the winner.

Heppner holds a 3 minute 33 second lead over Italian rider Stefano Garzelli, who faces a doping suspension.

Garzelli, of the Mapei team, will be automatically suspended if second tests on his urine samples confirm the presence of a banned diuretic.

Results of second tests are expected to be announced later on Tuesday.

Cipollini completed the 201-kilometer (124.6-mile) flat course from Tivoli to Caserta in four hours, 38 minutes, 57 seconds.

"It was a high speed sprint, the kind I like most," said the Italian, who reached speeds of about 70 kilometres per hour (43.4 mph) in the closing metres.

"At high speed, it was impossible for McEwen to come from behind and beat me, as it happened in Strasbourg," he said.

Ninth stage (Tivoli to Caserte, 210km):

1. Mario Cipollini (Ita) Acqua e Sapone, four hours 38 minutes 56 seconds
2. Robbie McEwen (Aus), same time
3. Cristian Moreni (Ita) s.t.
4. Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) s.t.
5. Ivan Quaranta (Ita) s.t.
6. Angelo Furlan (Ita) s.t.
7. Moreno Di Biase (Ita) s.t.
8. Mykhaylo Khalilov (Ukr) s.t.
9. Sven Teutenberg (Ger) s.t.
10. Miguel Angel Meza (Mex) s.t.

General classification:

1. Jens Heppner (Ger) Telekom 45 hours 52 minutes 24 seconds
2. Stefano Garzelli (Ita) at 3:33
3. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) 3:50
4. Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) 3:57
5. Francesco Casagrande (Ita) 4:08
6. Angel Vicioso (Spa) 4:09
7. Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) 4:27
8. Gilberto Simoni (Ita) 4:29
9. Wladimir Belli (Ita) 4:39
10. Pietro Caucchioli (Ita) 4:41

Selected:

29. Pavel Tonkov (Rus) 5:38
38. Ivan Gotti (Ita) 8:47
49. Marco Pantani (Ita) 12:31
95. Mario Cipollini (Ita) 33:29

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