American Farrar celebrates second stage victory

American rider Tyler Farrar won his second stage of this year's Tour of Italy when he collected the 10th stage yesterday, a 230 kilometres ride from Avellino to Bitonto.

Kazakhstan's Alexandre Vinokourov retained the overall leader's pink jersey.

Farrar, 25, beat Italian Fabio Sabatini while the American's team-mate Julian Dean of New Zealand was third, after doing excellent lead-out work for the stage winner, while Australian veteran Robbie McEwen was fourth.

Farrar, who got off the mark with the second stage of the race in the Netherlands, said he had been prepared to let the hard-working Dean win the stage until he saw danger approaching in the form of Sabatini.

"Julian launched the sprint in an incredible way. I hesitated a little to see if he could win but then I saw Sabatini arriving from behind," said Farrar, who confessed he had not had the juice in his legs for Monday's sprint finish.

"Our work as a team when it comes to setting up the sprint is beginning to bear fruit. Confidence is growing, as much on my part as the team's."

Vinokourov was delighted to have had a restful day but said that he would have to be watchful in Wednesday's stage, which at 262km is the longest of this year's race, from Lucera to l'Aquila.

"Tomorrow (Wednesday), is a tough route, like that of a one day classic," said the 36-year-old.

"The final bit is difficult. Will I attack? It is for the other riders to do that as they are not in the pink jersey. We will see what the legs are like. The team (Astana) will control affairs."