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Alessandro Petacchi sprinted to his second stage victory in the Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria finale as stage one winner Matteo Montaguti took overall victory in the race.

Rosa-Stac Plastic rider Montaguti topped the general classification in 17 hours 13 minutes 28 seconds, 25 seconds ahead of Carmiooro NGC's Francisco José Ventoso Alberdi and 34 seconds clear of Lampre's Daniele Pietropolli.

On the 165.7km final stage of the race from Soverato to Reggio Petacchi outfought fellow Italians Oscar Gatto (ISD-Neri) and Mattia Gavazzi (Colnago-Csf) after a trademark lead-out from his Lampre-Farnese Vini team-mates.

"I'm happy for the win and for what the team showed, said Petacchi. "All of my team-mates performed a perfect race.

"I thought I might be more tired after three days of racing, instead I had a lot of energy during the sprint."

STAGE THREE

Giuseppe Muraglia (CDC Cavaliers) won the third stage of the Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria in Italy.

Muraglia was the only survivor of a breakaway that begun after 80km of the 171.4km stage from Crotone to Catanzaro.

Alessandro Petacchi of Lampre-Farnese Vini led the peloton over the line, 40 seconds behind.

Stage one winner Matteo Montaguti retains the overall lead by 25 seconds from Spain's Francisco Ventoso (Carmiooro-NGC) with another Lampre rider Daniele Pietropolli, third on the stage, now third on GC at 29 seconds.

The race concludes on Tuesday with a 165.7km stage from Soverato to Reggio Calabria.

STAGE TWO

Lampre-Farnese Vini rider Alessandro Petacchi claimed his first win in his new team's colours on the second stage of the Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria between Cosenza and Crotone.

The Italian crossed the line ahead of Spain's Francisco Ventoso (Carmiooro-NGC) and fellow Italian Mattia Gavazzi (Colnago-CSF Inox) after a strong sprint finish.

Stage One winner Matteo Montaguti (De Rosa-Stac Plastic) retained the overall lead ahead of Monday's third stage from Catanzaro to Crotone.

"Winning is good, it cancels any doubts you might have and increases your determination," Petacchi told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I knew I was feeling good, I felt it during yesterday's stage when I stayed with the leaders over the top of the last climb."

STAGE ONE

De Rosa-Stac Plastic rider Matteo Montaguti won the first stage of the Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria in southern Italy, the opening European road race of the season.

The Italian beat off competition from his training partner Filippo Savini (Colnago-CSF Inox) in a sprint finish to register his first professional win and hand his team a debut victory.

In inclement weather conditions, Montaguti and Savini pulled away on the decisive Potame climb 50km from the finish line before maintaining their advantage on the descent.

Spain's Francisco Ventoso (Carmiooro-NGC) took third place, a lone foreigner in an otherwise all-Italian top nine. Belarusian Aleksandr Kuschynski (Liquigas Doimo) came in 10th.

"I know how strong Filippo is on the climbs and so I tried to stay with him all the way to the top and then I gave him a hand on the descent," Montaguti told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"Last year I was a domestique for Petacchi and Di Luca (at LPR Brakes); this year I've got more freedom to ride my on race."

Eurosport