1.   This might be the first sports team ever with the boldness and lack of self-consciousness to achieve at such a high level while wearing pink jerseys.

2.   Pantani finished second for the second straight stage, and held onto the pink jersey heading into the last four days.

3.   Pantani was expected to be a protagonist again Saturday and take the pink jersey of overall leader through the final stage in Milan Sunday.

4.   Rebellin, who lost the pink jersey after six days, said he still had high hopes to regain the race leadership in the next days.

5.   Alex Zuelle, who opened up a substantial overall lead with a dominating time-trial performance Sunday, retained the pink jersey heading into the toughest climbing stages.

6.   Bartoli had vaulted atop the standings on Thursday, earning a time bonus in a sprint and snatching the pink jersey from Ukrainian Sergei Gontchar.

7.   Bartoli had vaulted atop the standings on Thursday, earning a time bonus in a sprint and snatching the pink jersey from Ukrainian Serguei Gontchar.

8.   Davide Rebellin, who placed fourth in the stage, held the pink jersey of overall leader as Italian cyclists continued their domination of the race.

9.   Defending champion Pavel Tonkov retained the pink jersey symbol of the overall leader, holding a narrow one-second lead over fellow-Russian Eugeni Berzin.

10.   Dario Frigo, who finished in the main group in the same time as the winner, retained the pink jersey as overall leader.