PORTO RECANATI, Italy, May 20, 2010 (AFP) – Italy’s Filippo Pozzato won Thursday’s 12th stage of the Tour of Italy with Australian Riche Porte holding on to the leader’s pink jersey.

Pozzato, the first Italian to pick up a stage win since the start in Amsterdam, prevailed in a sprint for the line after the 206km run from French duo Thomas Voeckler and Jerome Pineau

This trio headed a group of 10 riders who had detached themselves from the main bunch a dozen kilometres from Porto Recanati.

Tempers flared in the final push when Spain’s Carlos Sastre and Australian world champion Cadel Evans had angry words with a rival rider.

The peloton crossed the line 10 seconds adrift of the leaders with half a wheel splitting the first two home.

“It’s a dream to win on the Giro whilst in possession of the Italian world champion’s jersey,” said Katusha team rider Pozatto.

“This season has been difficult,” the 28-year-old who won the Milan-SanRemo classic in 2006, added.

“I went for this victory with my heart, I needed this success.”

Porte, of the Team Saxo Bank, said he was having to pinch himself.

“For me it really is unbelievable to wear this precious Maglia Rosa,” he said. “Not even in my remotest dreams I had imagined something so great.

“I sometimes get lost in thought and I can hardly believe what’s happening to me.”

Friday’s 13th stage takes the riders on a run from Porto Recanati to Casenatico, the hometown of 1998 Giro winner Marco Pantani who died in 2004.

STAGE RESULTS
1. Filippo Pozzato (ITA/KAT) 5hr 15min 50sec
2. Thomas Voeckler (FRA/BTL) at 0:00s
3. Jerome Pineau (FRA/QST) 0:00.
4. Stefano Garzelli (ITA/ASA) 0:00.
5. Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ/AST) 0:00.
6. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/LIQ) 0:00.
7. Marco Pinotti (ITA/THR) 0:00.
8. Michele Scarponi (ITA/AND) 0:00.
9. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 0:00.
10. Ivan Basso (ITA/LIQ) 0:00.
11. Robbie McEwen (AUS/KAT) 0:10.
12. Manuel Belletti (ITA/CSF) 0:10.
13. Andre Greipel (GER/THR) 0:10.
14. Leonardo Duque (COL/COF) 0:10.
15. William Bonnet (FRA/BTL) 0:10.
16. Greg Henderson (NZL/SKY) 0:10.
17. Sebastien Hinault (FRA/ALM) 0:10.
18. Michiel Elijzen (NED/OLO) 0:10.
19. Tyler Farrar (USA/GRM) 0:10.
20. Danilo Hondo (GER/LAM) 0:10.
Selected
25. Richie Porte (AUS/SAX) 0:10.
29. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) 0:10.
52. Carlos Sastre (ESP/CTT) 0:10.
58. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/SKY) 0:10.
60. Svein Tuft (CAN/GRM) 0:21.
71. Michael Barry (CAN/SKY) 0:24.
107. David Millar (GBR/GRM) 0:36.
169. Cameron Meyer (AUS/GRM) 10:52.

Overall
1. Richie Porte (AUS/SAX) 50hr 46min 16sec
2. David Arroyo (ESP/GCE) at 1:42.
3. Robert Kiserlovski (CRO/LIQ) 1:56.
4. Xavier Tondo (ESP/CTT) 3:54.
5. Valerio Agnoli (ITA/LIQ) 4:41.
6. Alexander Efimkin (RUS/ALM) 5:16.
7. Linus Gerdemann (GER/MRM) 5:34.
8. Carlos Sastre (ESP/CTT) 7:09.
9. Laurent Didier (LUX/SAX) 7:24.
10. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/SKY) 8:14.
11. Jan Bakelants (BEL/OLO) 8:35.
12. Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ/AST) 9:48.
13. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) 11:10.
14. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/LIQ) 11:18.
15. Ivan Basso (ITA/LIQ) 11:39.
16. Marco Pinotti (ITA/THR) 12:05.
17. Francis de Greef (BEL/OLO) 12:21.
18. Stefano Garzelli (ITA/ASA) 12:32.
19. Vladimir Karpets (RUS/KAT) 12:32.
20. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 12:53.
21. Michele Scarponi (ITA/AND) 12:54.
Selected
28. David Millar (GBR/GRM) 19:14.
35. Michael Barry (CAN/SKY) 33:43.
39. Filippo Pozzato (ITA/KAT) 37:40.
144. Svein Tuft (CAN/GRM) 1h54:36.
169. Jack Bobridge (AUS/GRM) 2h34:07.