Polanc, who already won a Giro stage in 2015, secured the victory on Tuesday in grand style, having been a part of a four-man breakaway group since the second kilometre of the stage.

His blow to the remaining members of the group came at the start of the 18-kilometre ascent to Etna. He finished 20 seconds ahead of the closest pursuer.

"It was very tough today...but the win is really something incredible. The ascent was very hard, we had headwind all the time. This was one of the hardest breakaways in my professional career," Polanc said after the victory.

Slovenia now has a total of four stage victories at the Giro d'Italia. Luka Mezgec won a stage in 2014 and Primož Roglič bagged one last year.