Sporting digest: Cycling

MARCO SALIGARI, of Italy, broke away shortly after the start and successfully completed the longest escape in this year's Tour of Italy to win the 17th stage yesterday. The overall leader, Miguel Indurain, finished more than nine minutes behind the winner but said he was not worried because Saligari trails him overall by more than one hour.

TOUR OF ITALY 17th stage (223 km, Varazze to Valle Varaita): 1 M Saligari (It) 6hr 7min; 2 G Bortolami (It) +1min 12sec; 3 M Santaromita (It) +1:14; 4 A Baffi (It) +3:40; 5 L Desbiens (Fr) +5:06; 6 M Fondriest (It) +9:16; 7 P Ugrumov (Lat) s/t; 8 M Lelli (It) s/t; 9 C Chiappucci (It) s/t; 10 M Indurain (Sp) s/t. Overall: 1 Indurain 84hr 51min 51sec; 2 Ugrumov +49sec; 3 Chiappucci +1:18; 4 Lelli +1:49; 5 V Pulnikov (Ukr) +2:43; 6 Fondriest +3:18; 7 P Tonkov (Rus) +3:19; 8 S Roche (Irl) +6:50; 9 M Argentin (It) 7:22; 10 F Giupponi (It) +7:39.