Axel Merckx, watched by his legendary father Eddy, won the eighth stage of the Tour of Italy - at 265 km the longest of the race - from Corinaldo to Prato yesterday.

Spain's Jose Enrique Gutierrez, riding for Kelme, took the overall leader's pink jersey from Italian Matteo Tosatto.

Merckx recovered from falling off his bike 15 km from the finish to rejoin the leading group 5 km from home and storm away to record his finest win of his seven-year career in a time of seven hours 50 minutes and 25 seconds.

"When I got back on the bicycle the others were already way ahead. Luckily I'm good in the descent. I took all the risks in the descent to come back," said a delighted Merckx.

"I knew that a stage in the Giro was at stake. During the chase I was annoyed with everyone, the motorbikes, the cameras, the public. I'm going to apologise to them.

"I caught up at 5 km and thought of nothing but winning the stage." Merckx added: "1999 was a difficult year, I had to pull out of the Tour de France. This is my greatest victory today. I think I now know what to do to win."

Merckx, whose father Eddy, nicknamed "the Cannibal", won five Tour of Italy's and five Tour de France's, beat home British rider Max Sciandri and Italian duo Filippo Casagrande and Paolo Lanfranchi.

Today's ninth stage is the first of the mountain stages - the 138 km ride to Abetone.