Italy's Gabriele Bosisio of the LPR Brakes team won the seventh stage of the Giro d'Italia.

Bosisio was part of a decisive seven-rider attack and then leapt away eight kilometres from the finish of the Vasto to Pescocostanzo 176-km stage to win alone.

Vasil Kiryienka of Belarus was second, 46 seconds behind, and Emanuele Sella of Italy third at one 1:02. Italy's Giovanni Visconti finished 3:52 minutes behind Bosisio but retained the overall race lead.

He leads Matthias Russ of Germany by nine seconds. Bosisio is third at 5:43 behind.

Italian Danilo Di Luca, the 2007 winner, moved up to fourth and is the best placed of the leading contenders, 7:27 down.

"It was a good stage for my LPR team because Bosisio won the stage and I gained time on most of my rivals," Di Luca said.

"The seconds I've gained won't be enough to win the Giro but they're good to have so early in the race. I'm happy, while some of my rivals must be a little worried."

Of the leading contenders, Di Luca leads Riccardo Ricco by 26 seconds, 2007 Tour de France winner Albert Contador by 29 seconds, early race leader Franco Pellizotti of Italy by 44 seconds and Germany's Andreas Kloden by 1:12.

The next important stage for the overall contenders is Tuesday's 39.4km individual time trial from Pesaro to Urbino.

Saturday's 208km eighth stage is from Rivisondoli to Tivoli near Rome and is expected to end in a sprint.

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Reuters