Great Britain's Mark Cavendish went one better than last year in Florence when he blazed an unstoppable path to his third, and probably last, stage win of the 2009 Giro d'Italia.
The Isle of Man rider claimed two wins last year but since then has emerged as the best sprinter in the road racing world and he and his Columbia High Road team showed their class again as they rode a textbook race over the final frantic kilometres into Florence.
It was almost a 'home' victory for Cavendish who intends to base himself full-time in the Florence area and with a big final week of moutnains in wait there is an expectation that he will withdraw from the Giro before today's 14th stage.
The priority now is to retain form and energy for the Tour de France when the objective is to go all the way to Paris in an attempt to win the green jersey.
The flat stage into Florence was always going to suit Cavendish but intially Garmin took up the guantlet with Britain's Bradley Wiggins and David Millars doing huge turns at the front of the peloton in an attempt to set up their young American sprinter Tyler Farrar.
Farrar, however, lost concentration at a key stage as did Alessandro Petracchi - one of the few who can be mentioned in the same breath as Cavendish in terms of raw speed.
Cavendish meanwhile was expertly led through by his Australian teammate Mark Renshaw who habitually takes his man closer to the finishing line than any other lead man.
Once Cavendish hit the front it was all over and although Petacchi dug deep to close within half a bike'slength the race was. Australia's Alan Davies was third while there was another top ten finish for Britain's Ben Swift, a young rider with the Katusha team who is beginning to figure regularly in these high octane burn-up
Provisional result
1 Mark Cavendish (GBR) Team Columbia - Highroad
2 Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) LPR Brakes - Farnese Vini
3 Allan Davis (AUS) Quick Step
4 Robert Hunter (RSA) Barloworld
5 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Slipstream
6 Juan José Haedo (ARG) Team Saxo Bank
7 Robert Forster (GER) Team Milram
8 Ben Swift (GBR) Team Katusha
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