Macerata - Australian Cadel Evans won the sixth stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico cycle race on Monday to extend his overall lead.
The 2009 world champion beat Italians Giovanni Visconti and Michele Scarponi at the end of a 178 kms trek from Ussita to give his BMC team their first victory of the season.
Evans kept his composure when Lampre riders Damiano Cunego and Scarponi attacked in the ascent to Macerata and the Italian duo was powerless when the Australian produced a late sprint to record a comfortable win.
Evans now leads Scarponi by nine seconds and Ivan Basso by 12 seconds before Tuesday's final time trial.