Larsen's stage win in Giro

Danish newcomer Nicolai Bo raced out of obscurity with a resounding win in the 17th stage of the Giro d'Italia yesterday.

He and Frenchman Laurent Roux finished the 236 kilometre stage from Lausanne more than 116 minutes clear of third-placed, Sergio Barbero of Italy, and a further half-minute ahead of the pack containing race leader Pavel Tonkov of Russia.

Larsen and Roux led for all but the first eight kilometres, building a 26-minute advantage as Tonkov and his rivals enjoyed a day's pause in their battle for the race leader's pink jersey.

In the final kilometres Larsen angered the Frenchman by refusing to share the pace-making, and on the home stretch he took the lead. He stayed in front by zig-zagging across the road as Roux tried to pass, and his sprint was too strong for his rival, who broke down in tears after crossing the line.

"Roux was upset at the finish, and I would have been if I had finished second after leading for so long," said Larsen.

Today's stage over 216 kilometres between Meda and Vicenza is over flatlands, and is the last chance for the sprinters to shine before `war' is declared on Tonkov's 20 second lead with tomorrow's time trial and two mountain stages.