Home rider Stefano Garzelli took the overall lead of the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali at the end of Stage Two.

The Italian, riding for the Acqua Sapone-Mokambo team, finished second in the 175.6 kilometre stage between Castel San Pietro Terme and Faenza behind Sweden's Niklas Axelsson.

Axelsson, competing for Diquigiovanni-Androni, stole ahead of the 12-strong breakaway pack with a mile to go, and finished nine seconds ahead of Garzelli in a time of 4 hours 8' 04".

His team-mate, Colombian Jose Serpa Perez, completed the podium, finishing third, with Australia's Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) and Massimo Giunti (Miche-Silver Cross) making up the top five.

Axelsson is now third in the overall standings behind Garzelli and Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas), who finished the stage in sixth place.

Eurosport