The short steep climbs Marco Pantani used to polish his climbing skills and rain-soaked twisting roads created a terrible stage at the Giro d?Italia which tested all the overall contenders but without changing the general classification.
Alessandro Bertolini (Diquigiovanni) won the stage after being part of the decisive break of the 199km stage that formed after just 40km.
He was with Fortunato Baliani (CSF Group) and Spain?s Pablo Lastras Garcia (Caisse d?Epargne) in the finale and then jumped away to win alone when Baliani crashed on the final corner of the stage just 750 metres from the finish.
Lastras Garcia finished second at five second and Baliani got up to finish an embarrassed third at 15 seconds.
It was Bertolini's first win at the Giro at the age of 36.
The bunch finished 3-55 behind after easing up in the final part of the stage. Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) kept the pink jersey but crashed heavily on a rain-soaked descent and was escorted to the finish by team mate Paolo Bettini.
David Millar (Slipstream) was in the front group along with Steve Cummings and Geranit Thomas (Barloworld). Charly Wegelius (Liquigas) finished 5-53 behind, while Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins (High Road) finished in the gruppetto at 21-54.
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More than 30 crashes were signalled by race radio during the stage, with dozens of riders left with holes in their shorts and painful scars.
Leonardo Piepoli (Saunier) and Levi Leipheimer (Astana) crashed at the same point as Visconti. Piepoli has a cut above his right eye but both he and Leipheimer got back up and finished with the other overall contenders.
Barloworld paid the highest price, even though they were not involved in the worst crashes, losing team leaders Mauricio Soler and Francesco Bellotti due to injuries incurred in crashes in the early stages of the Giro.
Riccardo Ricco (Saunier Duval) tried to attack on the steep Monte Carpegna climb, mid-way through the stage, and Danilo Di Luca (LPR) also had several goes but the rain, crashes and tough terrain eventually convinced the bunch to wait for the real mountains.
Fortunately for the weary riders left in the Giro, the next two stages are completely flat and should end in sprint finishes.
Thursday?s 172km stage 12 is from Forli to Carpi and Friday?s stage 13 is from Modena to Cittadella.
They are the last chance for Britain?s Mark Cavendish to win before the decisive mountain stages begin in the Dolomites at the weekend.
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