Super record-breaker Mario

A majestic Mario Cipollini set a new Giro d'Italia record on Monday, claiming his 42nd stage victory the very same day Jean Marie Leblanc announced his exclusion from the 100th Tour de France. Italy's Stefano Garzelli retained the pink leader's jersey.

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It was deja-vu for Cipollini, the reigning world champion, who outsprinted Australia's Robbie McEwen and Italian Alessandro Petacchi in a replica of Sunday's sprint finale, when Cipollini equalled Alfredo Binda's record of 41 stage wins set back in 1933.

Monday's ninth stage, a predominantly flat, 160-kilometre ride from Arezzo to Montecatini, was a sprinter's paradise. With just a few short-lived breakaways, the peloton relied on the quick, steady pace set by the peloton.

Cipollini, fuelled by the disappointment of being left out of the Tour de France for the third year in a row, was always ideally positioned throughout the race. Initiating the sprint early, the 36-year-old Italian held off a strong challenge from McEwen, who was denied victory by a matter of centimetres.

The maglia rosa leader's jersey remains on the shoulders of Garzelli, who increased his lead in the general classifications with a 40-second advantage over Gilberto Simoni. Completing the all-Italian podium is Andrea Noe, in third with a 54-second deficit.

Not only did Monday mark Cipo's new Giro record for the most stage victories won by a cyclist in the race's history, it also marked the controversial decision by Tour de France race organisers to not invite Cipollini's Domina Vacanze team to the 100th edition.

With his Giro record-equalling victory on Sunday, Cipollini, nicknamed 'Super Mario', thought he had convinced Tour de France organisers of his merit. However, just moments before the start of stage nine on Monday Cipollini learned his team was not one of the four squads invited.

"The fact that Cipollini is 36 years old and his season debut was not as impressive as expected were what weighed our decision," Tour de France director Leblanc told reporters.