Spain's Alberto Contador swept to the top of the Tour of Italy standings after the Saxo Bank rider won the ninth stage on Mount Etna on Monday.
The controversial three-time Tour de France winner attacked seven kilometres from the finish to come home clear of Venezuelan climber Jose Rujano at the 1892 metre summit on the south side of the Sicilian volcano.
Italian hope Stefano Garzelli won the battle for third, 50 seconds behind, with his compatriot Vincenzo Nibali in fourth.
Contador inherited the race leader's pink jersey from Rabobank's Dutch rider Pieter Weening, who had held the lead since Thursday's fifth stage.
He has a 59 second cushion over Belarusian Kanstantsin Siutsou, with France's Christophe Le Mevel third, at 1 minute 19 seconds.
Contador is competing in the race while still awaiting a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which could overturn a Spanish cycling federation decision to clear him of any wrongdoing following a positive test for clenbuterol at last year's Tour de France.
