Italian Vincenzo Nibali extended his lead over Australia's Cadel Evans as Mauro Santambrogio won a shortened 14th stage of the Giro d'Italia to claim his maiden win on the race Saturday. Nibali, of the Astana team, had launched a decisive attack in the final kilometres and came over the finish line in second place after giving his fellow Italian the nod to take the stage win unhindered. "I can't believe it, I came to the Giro to win a stage and have done it," said Santambrogio, who rides for the modest Vini Fantni team.

Britain's Bradley Wiggins, the winner of last year's Tour de France, has pulled out of the Giro d'Italia cycling race due to illness, his team announced on Friday. "Due to a worsening chest infection, the decision was taken for Wiggins not to start the race's 13th stage on Friday from Busseto to Cherasco," Team Sky said in a statement. He had struggled in the race after a head cold turned into a chest infection.

Results from the tenth stage of the Giro d'Italia, a 167km run from Cordenons to Altopiano del Montasio on Tuesday: 1. Rigoberto Uran (COL/SKY) 4hr 37min 42sec 2. Carlos Betancur (COL/ALM) at 20s 3. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/AST) 31 4. Mauro Santambrogio (ITA/VIN) 31 5. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) 31 6. Rafal Majka (POL/SAX) 31 7. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/ALM) 31 8. Robert Kiserlovski (CRO/RSH) 47 9. Benat Intxausti (ESP/MOV) 1:06 10. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/SKY) 1:08 Selected 12. Michele Scarponi (ITA/LAM) 1:10

Dave Zabriskie, a four-time Tour of California runner-up, can expect stiff opposition from fellow American Tejay van Garderen when the eighth edition of America's top stage race begins on Sunday. Zabriskie, 34, headlines a Garmin-Sharp team that also includes Belgian Johan Van Summeren and US sprinter Tyler Farrar, who will be aiming to end the sprint stage dominance of Cannondale rider Peter Sagan. Zabriskie, who finished second in California in 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2012, will be racing on home soil for the first time since serving a six-month suspension for doping.