Gesink takes Tirreno lead

Chieti - Michele Scarponi lived up to his reputation as an attacking rider when he won the fourth stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico race on Saturday.

The Lampre rider was the aggressor with 2km left, and despite stalling in the uphill finish he held off team-mate and fellow Italian Damiano Cunego and Australian Cadel Evans.

It was not enough, however, to unsettle race favourite Robert Gesink as the Dutchman took the overall lead from Evans.

Rabobank's Gesink leads Evans by 10 seconds overall, with Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso in third place 12 seconds off the pace. Scarponi is fourth 15 seconds behind Gesink.

The peloton gathered for a minute's silence for the victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami before the start of the 240km stage that passed through the city of L'Aquila, devastated by an earthquake in 2009.

"I'm worried. My parents were safe but there is so much damage because of this disaster. When I think about it, my heart is very painful," Japanese rider Fumi Beppu of Team RadioShack wrote on Twitter.

The race ends on Tuesday.

Results from the fourth stage of Tirreno-Adriatico stage race, a 240km ride between Narni and Chieti on Saturday:
Stage

1. Michele Scarponi (ITA) Lampre 6hr 10min 56sec
2. Damiano Cunego (ITA/Lampre) same time
3. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) s.t.
4. Ivan Basso (ITA/Liquigas) 02sec
5. Danilo Di Luca (ITA/Katusha) s.t.
6. Robert Gesink (NED/Rabobank) 12

General classification

1. Robert Gesink (NED/Rabobank) 15hr 05min 10sec
2. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) at 10sec
3. Ivan Basso (ITA/Liquigas) 12
4. Michele Scarponi (ITA/Lampre) 15
5. Damiano Cunego (ITA/Lampre) 19