Tour de France holder Alberto Contador of Spain stretched his slim lead in the Giro d'Italia by eight seconds over Italy's Riccardo Ricco' in Monday's tough Dolomites time trial.
Contador, who came fourth in the 12.9km trial, consolidated his position as pre-race favourite by opening up a 41-second lead over Ricco', who came in fifth.
The Madrid native lost five seconds to Italian veteran Gilberto Simoni but two-time Giro winner Simoni, third today, is still one minute 21 seconds behind Contador in third.
The winner of Monday's test, Franco Pellizotti, is two minutes five seconds down on Contador in fifth place while long-time leader Marzio Bruseghin is in fourth, two minutes flat behind the leader.
Italy's new climbing sensation Emanuele Sella came in second on Monday, just six seconds behind Pellizotti - after claiming two magnificent breakaway wins over the weekend.
Contador now has a handy lead ahead of the last two mountain challenges - including the highest point on the Giro - on stages 19 (Friday) and 20 (Saturday).
In another year these would be expected to settle things but the 21st and last stage on Sunday is not the usual leisurely spumante-popping run-in to Milan.
Instead, the Giro's third time trial might give the top 'chronomen' a chance to get back into the reckoning.
