Emanuele Sella of CSF Group Navigare won Stage 20 of the Giro d’Italia on Saturday, giving him his third mountain stage win in the race.

Sella, who broke away twice for his two previous victories, attacked this time on the final climb and rode away from the elite group of favourites, including race leader Alberto Contador of Astana and Riccardo Ricco of Saunier Duval-Scott — who finished in a group 1:40 behind.

Unlike the mountain stages last weekend, Ricco wasn’t able to escape from Contador, who maintains a 4-second lead heading into the finale Sunday — a 28.2 km time trial in Milan.

The only other serious contender, Danilo Di Luca of LPR Brakes, lost nearly 4 minutes to Contador and Ricco, falling from third (21 seconds back) to seventh at 4:18.

In addition to the Contador-Ricco battle for first, the battle for the third podium spot should be tight Sunday, with four riders within 47 seconds each other after Saturday’s stage – Marzio Bruseghin of Lampre (2.00 behind Contador), Franco Pellizotti of the Liquigas boys (2.05), Sella (2:35) and Denis Menchov of Rabobank (2.47).

–30–