 The rainfall lightened almost as soon as it began , but the top riders in the general classification still faced a course made more difficult by the rain . Most of them rode conservatively , to keep their positions intact rather than aim for the stage win , but Danilo Di Luca did not . Di Luca attacked the course , riding with a high cadence from the outset . He had the best time at the first intermediate time check , but he lost energy and faded away as the course went on , finishing 45 seconds slower than the stage winner . 
