Italy’s 2000 Giro d’Italia champion Stefano Garzelli won the Tirreno-Adriatico cycling race after Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen prevailed in the seventh and final stage on Tuesday.

Garzelli, who rides for the Acqua e Sapone team, was placed second in the overall standings going into the final day, two seconds behind his compatriot Michele Scarponi.

Hagen Takes The Win On Stage 7 For Team Sky

Defending titleholder Scarponi, who had taken the lead last Saturday, was pipped at the post by the bonus sprint points picked up by 36-year-old Garzelli during the stage.

Garzelli finished third in both sprints, picking up one second each time, placing him level pegging in the standings, but he was awarded victory courtesy of his better placings over the course of the race.

“It’s crazy, you’d never believe it, it’s like a film, but I had nothing to lose, and today I was rewarded for my two runner-up places in the sprints,” said Garzelli.

Scarponi for his part added: “This is the first time this has happened to me, and it doesn’t give me a great deal of pleasure.”

The 2010 Tirreno-Adriatico Podium

Results of the Tirreno-Adriatico 164km seventh and final stage between Civitanova Marche and San Benedetto Del Tronto on Tuesday:

1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) Sky 3hr 52min 36sec,
2. Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) Lampre) s.t.,
3. Sacha Modolo (ITA) CSF s.t.,
4. Bernard Eisel (AUT) Columbia s.t.,
5. Mattia Gavazzi (ITA) CSF s.t.,
6. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin s.t.,
7. Robbie McEwen (AUS) Katusha s.t.,
8. Baden Cooke (AUS) Saxo Bank s.t.,
9. Yauheni Hutarovich (BLR) Française des Jeux s.t.,
10. Robert Hunter (RSA) Garmin s.t.

Overall standings
1. Stefano Garzelli (ITA) Acqua e Sapone 30hr 51min 56sec (winner),
2. Michele Scarponi (ITA) Androni s.t.,
3. Cadel Evans (AUS) BMC 12s,
4. Maxim Iglinskiy (KAZ) Astana 22,
5. Robert Gesink (NED) Rabobank 27,
6. Michael Rogers (AUS) Columbia 29,
7. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA) CSF 33,
8. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA) Liquigas 42,
9. Manuele Mori (ITA) Lampre 1:04,
10. Francesco Gavazzi (ITA) Lampre 1:07

Photos by: CorVos Pro