Italian Ivan Quaranta, riding for the Mobilvetta team, won a sprint finish to take the first stage of the Tour of Italy in Terracina yesterday. Fellow Italian, Mario Cipollini of Saeco, who had finished fourth in Saturday's prologue time trial, took the overall leader's pink jersey following the 129km ride from Rome.
Quaranta beat both Czech Jan Svorada and Dutchman Steven De Jongh in a mass sprint, but Cipollini was not able to get into a good position and only finished fifth.
Cipollini's team became disorganised following a big crash of riders 11km from the end, though Paolo Savoldelli managed to claw himself back into the main bunch.
Cipollini, who has won 29 stages in the Giro, had to be content with the overall lead. He has also worn the pink jersey for one day in 1995, for two days in 1997 and a further day last year.
The 25-year-old Quaranta, who graduated to road racing from the track, ironically also won the first stage of the Giro last season.
Switzerland's Pascal Richard, who races for the Linda McCartney team, was not at the starting line in Rome.
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