The city-based Danish ace pounced for victory at Lonigo when Jason Crump suffered a mechanical problem and lost power on the last lap of the final.

Andersen powered round the outside of the stricken Australian to sample GP success for the first time since the 2006 campaign – and the triumph launches him into contention to fulfil his ambition of grabbing a rostrum place at the end of the season.

Fellow Dane Bjarne Pedersen followed him past Crump to take second with Leigh Adams coming home last in the final.

Andersen remains fifth in the overall standings but has closed to within six points of veteran American Greg Hancock who lies third ahead of the final round of the series at Gelsenkirchen, Germany next month.

"It is a relief to get another GP win because I have had chances during the last two years, but they slipped away," admitted Andersen, who finished with a bumper 21-point haul.

"I should have won the Scandinavian GP last month and I should have won in Sweden last year, but I ended up giving both away to Leigh Adams.

"This time I had a bit of good luck and it means we go into the last round knowing I can get on the rostrum.

"It will be mighty tough there but I am in with a shout and hopefully can produce another good performance like this one."

Nicki Pedersen failed to clinch the world title in Italy after only notching six points during a painful night in which he hit the deck twice.

But he still holds a 16-point cushion over Crump and wrapping up the spoils should be a formality in Germany.

Panthers racer Lukas Dryml was caught up in a major flashpoint with Scott Nicholls after their heat seven clash.

Dryml left the British champion with no room as he attempted to pass him round the outside entering the final lap. But Nicholls did manage to get round the Czech before the pair were involved in a heated exchange of views after the race.

Dryml remains bottom of the overall standings while Panthers asset Niels Kristian Iversen's hopes of a top-eight finish and automatic entry into the 2009 series are all but over.

His half-a-dozen points in Lonigo leave him 14 points and five places behind Rune Holta who currently holds the all-important eighth position.

Italian GP results: Hans Andersen 21pts, Jason Crump 18, Bjarne Pedersen 17, Leigh Adams 12, Rune Holta 10, Greg Hancock 9, Tomasz Gollob 9, Andreas Jonsson 9, Scott Nicholls 8, Krzysztof Kasprzak 8, Nicki Pedersen 6, Niels Kristian Iversen 6, Freddie Lindgren 5, Lukas Dryml 4, Mattia Carpanese 2, Guglielmo Franchetti 0, Alessandro Milanese (res) 0, Chris Harris (did not ride).

Overall World Championship standings: Nicki Pedersen 161pts, Jason Crump 145, Greg Hancock 129, Tomasz Gollob 127, Hans Andersen (below) 123, Leigh Adams 110, Andreas Jonsson 88, Rune Holta 73, Scott Nicholls 70, Bjarne Pedersen 66, Freddie Lindgren 64, Niels Kristian Iversen 59, Chris Harris 54, Krzysztof Kasprzak 52, Lukas Dryml 39.