 Menchov claimed overall victory despite a late spill
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Denis Menchov won the 100th Giro d'Italia on Sunday despite falling inside the last mile of the closing time trial.
The Russian was 41 seconds clear of Danilo Di Luca in the overall standings with Franco Pellizotti taking third.
Menchov fell shortly before the finish in Rome but jumped onto a spare bike provided by his team car.
Ignatas Konovalovas won the 8.95-mile (14.4km) time trial by only one second from Englishman Bradley Wiggins.
Menchov finished 10th on the stage with Italian Di Luca 16th.
In the overall standings Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre was fourth, with seven-time Tour winner Lance Armstrong 12th.
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thewholehog
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Menchov had a 20-second lead coming into the final day as the Giro celebrated its centenary year with one of the closest finishes in its history.
Di Luca briefly looked to be on the brink of a famous victory when he got to the first time check fastest of all and five seconds up on Menchov.
But the LPR rider had blasted out too fast and proceeded to fade, finding himself 14 seconds down on Menchov at the next time check.
By the time he crossed the line Di Luca had lost 45 seconds to Konovalovas, whereas Menchov, who had won the 12th stage time trial to take over the pink jersey last Thursday, was getting stronger.
The Russian looked like he might win the final stage as well but with rain starting to fall he crashed with one kilometre remaining.
Menchov was still sliding along the wet surface as his mechanic jumped out of the team car and took another bike from the roof.
Menchov went to pick up his crashed bike but the mechanic shouted to get on the new one and the Russian rode the unblemished machinery home to claim the race.
Despite the crash he gained 21 seconds on Di Luca to win by 41 seconds overall.
The time trial course ended in front of the Colosseum, having taken the riders past the Vatican and the Circus Maximus.
Final stage:
1. Ignatas Konovalovas (Lithuania / Cervelo ) 18mins 42secs
2. Bradley Wiggins (Britain / Garmin ) +1
3. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway / Columbia ) +7
4. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukraine / Astana ) +11
5. Marzio Bruseghin (Italy / Lampre ) +16
6. Giovanni Visconti (Italy / Team ISD ) +18
7. Dries Devenyns (Belgium / Quick-Step ) +20
8. Maarten Tjallingii (Netherlands / Rabobank ) +21
9. Stefano Garzelli (Italy / Acqua & Sapone ) +23
10. Denis Menchov (Russia / Rabobank ) +24
Overall standings:
1. Denis Menchov (Russia / Rabobank ) 86hrs 3mins 11secs
2. Danilo Di Luca (Italy / Team LPR ) +41
3. Franco Pellizotti (Italy / Liquigas ) +1:59
4. Carlos Sastre (Spain / Cervelo ) +3:46
5. Ivan Basso (Italy / Liquigas ) +3:59
6. Levi Leipheimer (U.S. / Astana ) +5:28
7. Stefano Garzelli (Italy / Acqua & Sapone ) +8:43
8. Michael Rogers (Australia / Columbia ) +10:01
9. Tadej Valjavec (Slovenia / AG2R ) +11:13
10. Marzio Bruseghin (Italy / Lampre ) +11:28
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