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Stage 1
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Stage 3
Stage 4
Stage 5
Stage 6
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Stage 12
Stage 13
Stage 14
Stage 15
Stage 16
Stage 17
Stage 18
Stage 19
Stage 20
Stage 21
Stage 22

Stage 21

Pantani out, Gotti new Giro leader after 21st stage
Pantani Disqualified

Roberto Heras Hernandez
ITALY, 5 JUN 99 - Spanish Roberto Heras Hernandez raises his arms as he crosses the finish line followed by Italian Gilberto Simoni and Ivan Gotti after the 21th 190 km stage of the Giro D'Italia cycling race from Madonna di Campiglio to Aprica June 5. Heras Hernandez won the stage while Ivan Gotti took the pink jersey and is the new overall race leader. sr/Photo by Stefano Rellandini REUTERS

Disqualified
5 JUN 99 - Roberto Pregnolato (C) the personal masseur of Italian rider Marco Pantani (R) cries with other Mercatone Uno members as Pantani was disqualified from the Giro d'Italia after failing a blood test June 5. Pantani was among riders given early morning tests which were introduced two years ago "for the sake of riders' health". Italian Ivan Gotti leads the overall race leadrship. pc/Photo by Stefano Rellandini REUTERS

APRICA, Italy, June 5 - Ivan Gotti came third in the Giro d'Italia's 21st stage on Saturday to claim the overall lead after the shock disqualification of Marco Pantani in the morning.

Roberto Heras gave Spain their first stage win by outsprinting Italian Gilberto Simoni and Gotti at the end of the 190 kms leg over the mountain's from Madonna di Campiglio.

But Gotti did enough to take the leader's pink jersey he won outright two years ago. Gotti heads Simoni by three minutes 32 seconds in the overall standings with the finale due in Milan on Sunday.

Gotti was third overall overnight, six minutes and 12 seconds adrift of Pantani, but early-morning blood tests showed Pantani was over the 50 per cent haematocrit limit and he was disqualified.

Gotti was only 34 seconds behind second placed Paolo Savoldelli in the overall standings at the end of the 20th stage, and as the race went over four mountains in Saturday's stage Gotti saw his chance.

Gotti, Heras, and Simoni were ahead for the last 60 kms and at one point Savoldelli was over four minutes behind Gotti.

Despite Pantani's disqualification, Savoldelli had declined to wear the forfeited pink jersey during the 21st stage.

There were several crashes as riders descended from the Mortirolo mountain. Italian Massimo Codol was forced out of the race and his team mate and world champion Oscar Camenzind of Switzerland raced on with blood streaming down his face.


APRICA, Italy, June 5 - Leading placings in the 190-km 21st stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race from  Madonna di Campiglio to Aprica on Saturday:

Stage 21

1. Roberto Heras (Spain) Kelme 5 hours 57 min 7 sec
2. Gilberto Simoni (Italy) Ballan
3. Ivan Gotti (Italy) Polti both same time
4. Paolo Savoldelli (Italy) Saeco 4 min 5 sec behind
5. Laurent Jalabert (France) ONCE 4:45 behind

6. Sergei Gontchar (Ukraine) Vini Caldirola
7. Daniele de Paoli (Italy)Amica Chips
8. Niklas Axelsson (Sweden) Navigare all same time
9. Richard Virenque (France) Polti 6:19
10. Oscar Mason (Italy) Liquigas 8:05

11. Francesco Secchiari (Italy) Saeco 9:39
12. Mauro Zanetti (Italy) Vini Caldirola
13. Oscar Sevilla (Spain) Kelme
14. Roberto Sgambelluri (Italy) Cantina Tollo
15. Aleksandr Shefer (Kazakhstan) Riso Scotti

16. Oscar Camenzind (Switzerland) Lampre
17. Jose Gonzalez (Colombia) Kelme all same time
18. Gerrit Glomser (Austria) Navigare 10:59
19. Stefano Faustini (Italy) Mobilvetta 12:00
20. Andrei Zintchenko (Russia) Vitalicio Seguros same time

Leading overall standings:

1. Gotti 95 hours 26 minutes 13 seconds
2. Simoni 3 minutes 32 seconds behind
3. Savoldelli 3:35
4. Jalabert 5:12
5. Heras 7:47

6. Axelsson 9:38
7. Gontchar 12:07
8. De Paoli 14:20
9. Daniel Clavero (Spain) Vitalicio 15:43
10. Sgambelluri 17:31

11. Camenzind 17:39
12. Zintchenko 20:14
13. Sevilla 22:44
14. Virenque 24:15
15. Hernan Buenahora (Col) Vitalicio 24:38

16. Gabriele Missaglia (Italy) Lampre 42:12
17. Giuseppe di Grande (Italy) Mapei 44:23
18. Pavel Padrnos (Czech) Lampre 44:30
19. Peter Luttenberger (Austria) ONCE 47:39
20. Nicola Miceli (Italy) Liquigas 47:40