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Jalabert takes Giro lead by a split second

By Mike Price

Frenchman Laurent Jalabert of team Once rides during a race against the clock in the 82th Giro d'Italia, in Ancona May 23.   vp/Photo by Vincenzo Pinto REUTERS

ANCONA, Italy, May 23 - Laurent Jalabert reclaimed the Giro d'Italia lead on Sunday by two-hundredths of a second after a tense battle with overnight leader Marco Pantani in a 32-km time trial.

The Frenchman powered around an undulating circuit at this Adriatic port, averaging 47.2 kph, to finish faster than his Italian rival by 55 seconds, the amount by which Pantani led him after Saturday's mountainous leg.

Officials decided that the leader's pink jersey would go to the man with the faster split seconds in the time trial.

Jalabert is no stranger to tight situations. He beat Spain's Abraham Olano in the 1997 Vuelta a Burgos by two-tenths of a second and won a Tour of Romandy time trial by one second earlier this month.

"I wanted this victory but taking the jersey depended on how well Pantani rode. He was impressive for a man who is not a time trial specialist," said Jalabert who had lost the Giro lead in Saturday's stage.

"I am sure he would like to win back the jersey for Tuesday's stage into his home town, Cesenatico, but I don't think either of us will risk trying to sprint to gain time.

"There's too much at stake to become involved in the intermediate sprints. It's too dangerous."

A top-three placing at an intermediate sprint or a stage finish would break the deadlock.

Pantani again produced a remarkable performance in a discipline that is his not his forte and was second-fastest at the top of the Poggio del Massignano on the Conero headland.

There Jalabert, the 1997 world time trial champion, was only a second faster than his rival.

Last year Pantani was third in the final time trial at Lugano on his way to winning the Giro and described that performance then "as achieving a miracle".

Jalabert's superior time trial ability carried him through to beat Ukrainian Sergei Gontchar by 25 seconds in this ninth stage with Pantani ousting other specialists for third place.

ANCONA, Italy, May 23 - Leading placings in Sunday's ninth stage, a 32 km individual time trial, of the Giro d'Italia cycling race: