Filippo Ganna claimed his second stage win of this year's Giro d'Italia with a magnificent display of his climbing ability on Wednesday.
Team INEOS rider Ganna mastered the gruelling ascent of Valico di Montescuro and successfully navigated the descent to the finish line in damp conditions on stage five.
The Grand Tour debutant took the maglia rosa on the first day but lost it on stage three after dropping back to aid team leader Geraint Thomas - who subsequently withdrew from the race - following a crash in the neutral zone.
However, the 24-year-old was back in form on a 225-kilometre ride from Mileto to Camigliatello Silano, where Joao Almeida picked up four bonus seconds to extend his lead at the top of the general classification to 43 seconds.
Ganna spent the entire day in the breakaway and twice reeled in Hector Carretero on the ascent of Valico di Montescuro – a 24.4km climb at an average gradient of 5.6 per cent.
He somehow managed to stick with Einer Rubio and Thomas De Gendt, who did superbly to bridge the gap from the peloton, after the steeper middle section and then attacked with 16km remaining.
An incredible effort saw him establish a lead of just over a minute by the time he reached the summit and crossed the line 34 seconds ahead of the GC group, which saw Almeida pick up some valuable time.
Vincenzo Nibali failed to make a move after his Trek-Segafredo team-mate Pieter Weening was withdrawn due to feeling light dizziness after a crash, with Ganna moving into the maglia azzurra.
STAGE RESULT
1. Filippo Ganna (Team INEOS) 05:59:17
2. Patrick Konrad (Bora-Hansgrohe) +00:34
3. Joao Almeida (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) +00:34
4. Wilco Kelderman (Team Sunweb) +00:34
5. Lucas Hamilton (Mitchelton-Scott) +00:34
CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS
General Classification
1. Joao Almeida (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) 17:06:23
2. Pelle Bilbao (Bahrain-McLaren) +00:43
3. Wilco Kelderman (Team Sunweb) +00:48
Points Classification
1. Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) 57
2. Arnaud Demare (Groupama-FDJ) 52
3. Diego Ulissi (UAE Team Emirates) 27
King of the Mountains
1. Filippo Ganna (Team INEOS) 41
2. Jonathan Caicedo (EF Pro Cycling) 40
3. Edoardo Zardini (Vini Zabu'-Brado-KTM) 18
WHAT'S NEXT?
The sprinters will be pleased to have a flat stage on Thursday, with a 188km journey from Castrovillari to Matera on the schedule.