With American Fred Rodriguez making a suprise early jump, Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) Fassa Bortolo was caught off-guard today as Rodriguez edged Petacchi

in Stage 9 in Carovigno.



Petacchi told Italy's RAI-TV that "Fred was smart to jump early and I should have gone earlier and risked

a loss - but I waited and so Rodriguez got a bike length on me. I came back really fast but it wasn't enough. He took the risk and he won."



Petacchi still holds the Maglia Ciclamino as the Giro's best sprinter.



87th Giro d'Italia-May 8-30, 2004

Monday, May 17

Stage 9: Policoro-Carovigno, 142 km

1. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Acqua Sapone-Caffe Mokambo 4h04'38" (34.827 km/hr avg.)

2. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo

Giro d'Italia Points classification

Ê1. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo: 125 pts