Russia's Denis Menchov survived a fall on a rain-hit final stage to win the Giro d'Italia in dramatic fashion in Rome.

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• Stage 21: As it happened
• General classification
• Video: Menchov seals Giro victory

The Rabobank rider looked certain for victory in the world's second biggest stage race with a 20-second lead before Sunday's 14.4km time-trial, which was better suited to him than nearest rival Italian Danilo Di Luca.

But the home fans were given hope of a shock win when it started to rain while both riders were out, making the going hazardous on Rome's slippery cobblestones.

The Russian tumbled on a straight stretch in the last kilometre, but kept his cool and crossed the finish line near the Coliseum with a faster time than LPR's 2007 winner Di Luca.

Menchov had a 41-second margin of victory, according to provisional results, as the 31-year-old added the Giro to his honours list after winning the Tour of Spain in 2007 and 2005.

The stage was won by Cervelo's Lithuanian Ignatas Konovalovas, who set his time of 18:42 before a light rainfall that forced riders to slow down, although conditions had dried out a lot by the time the leaders went out.

Britain's triple world track cycling gold medallist Bradley Wiggins finished a second behind Konovalovas and would have gone quicker had the rain not hampered the end of his ride.