Rogers' stage win comes just weeks after the International Cycling Union allowed him to compete again following a positive test for clenbuterol in Japan last year.

Cycling's world governing body ultimately cleared the Saxo-Tinkoff rider of the drug violation after it was revealed that he had eaten contaminated meat and he faced no further punishment, leaving him free to claim the 249-kilometre Collecchio to Savona leg.

"It was definitely a beautiful moment," Rogers, a three-time world champion, said.

"It was hard today for us.

"My team created an opportunity for me.

"It was a spur of the moment thing to attack.

"I saw at the top of the climb that the leaders of the general classification were sort of all looking at each other, and there was a possibility to go, so I took it."

Cadel Evans kept the pink jersey for another day and maintained a
57-second lead ©Getty Images


German Simon Geschke, riding for Giant-Shimano, and Bardiani-CSF's Enrico Battaglin of Italy finished in second and third place respectively.

Meanwhile, overall race leader Evans of BMC Racing kept his pink jersey and maintained a 57-second lead over Omega Pharma-Quick-Step's Colombian rider Rigoberto Urán.

"The speed at the start, the middle and the climb added together to make it a really difficult stage," Evans said.

Poland's Saxo-Tinkoff cyclist Rafał Majka is third overall.

Tomorrow will see action continue with the 41.9km individual time trial from Barbaresco to Barolo.

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