Di Luca wins Giro's longest stage to reinforce lead

Danilo Di Luca tightened his grip on the race leader's pink jersey by winning the 262km 10th stage of the Tour of Italy from Cuneo to Pinerolo on Tuesday.

Italy's 2007 champion, of the LPR team, attacked on the descent of the Pra Martino climb and left all his rivals in his wake to take his eighth Giro stage win in a little over six and a half hours.

Di Luca now holds an overall lead of 1min 20sec on Russian Denis Menchov, the two-time Tour of Spain champion who rides for Rabobank.

Australian Michael Rogers of Columbia is third overall while American Levi Leipheimer of Astana is fourth ahead of Italy's 2006 champion Ivan Basso, who rides for Liquigas.

Basso's teammate, Franco Pellizotti, took second on the stage 10sec back with Menchov limiting his losses to finish third ahead of reigning Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre of Spain, of the Cervelo team.

Basso, Leipheimer and Rogers, who along with Menchov, Sastre and Di Luca are considered the main contenders for overall victory, finished 29sec back in the company of Lance Armstrong. PINEROLO, Italy, AFP