It got one today when Danilo Di Luca won the 90th edition of the prestigious race.

Di Luca, who rides for Liquigas, completed the 2,166-mile, 21-stage race in 92 hours, 59 minutes, 39 seconds. It was his first win in a major race and 42nd career victory.

Andy Schleck was 1:55 behind, followed by Eddy Mazzoleni in third, 2:25 off the lead.

"I'm not sure it's all down to me, but this Giro has certainly given a strong signal that cycling is still loved," Di Luca said. "Before the Giro I thought I could win, but certainly not in this way. Today, I crowned a dream."

Basso and five other riders withdrew before the race, following allegations of involvement in the Spanish blood doping case, known as Operation Puerto.

Basso acknowledged to the Italian authorities that he had given blood samples to Eufemiano Fuentes, a doctor at the center of the scandal, who has been accused of running a blood-doping clinic in Madrid.

Basso said he had intended to cheat but never did, and was guilty only of "attempted doping."

The 31-year-old Di Luca, who won the Milan-Turin and Liege-Bastogne-Liege classics earlier this year, clinched only one stage during the Giro — the fourth — but wore the leader's pink jersey for 12 legs.

Alessandro Petacchi won today's 115-mile final leg from Vestone in a sprint finish in 5 hours, 18 minutes, 54 seconds.

"I got it right throughout the race," Di Luca said. "I rode with intelligence, without ever getting into a panic. It happens when you get to the right age and when you know what it's like to lose. Big defeats make us learn."

Di Luca was on course to win the 2000 Vuelta al Pais Vasco in Spain only to falter in the final stage's mountain time trial.

"This victory changes some things, but not much," he said. "I go on with my career and I want to maintain these levels for the next five years. It is the sweetest victory for my region also."