Australian Luke Plapp claimed the first Grand Tour win of his career with a stunning solo win on the eighth stage of the Giro d’Italia.

The 24-year-old, riding for Team Jayco Alula, attacked from the breakaway group with around 40km to go and crossed the line with a gap of 38 seconds over Netherlands’ Wilco Kelderman in second.

Diego Ulissi finished third, and moved into the lead of the overall standings, becoming the first Italian to do so since 2021.

“I still can’t believe it, to be honest,” Plapp said at the end of the race.

“I feel like it’s been a long time coming – I’m always targeting the Aussie summer, and just never been able to make a result happen in Europe.

“Last year, I got so close to the Giro so many times so for today to happen is so, so special.”

Plapp then joked that he made his move with such a long way to go because he felt he could not beat the others in a sprint finish after the 197km stage across the medium-range mountains from Giulianova to Castelraimondo.

Meanwhile, Ulissi took the overall lead from 2023 Giro winner Primoz Roglic, who slipped to third and remains 17 seconds behind the Italian.

Ulissi will wear the pink jersey as the race goes through Tuscany, the region of his birth, on Sunday with a 181km stage from Gubbio to Siena.

Max Poole is the best-placed British rider in seventh overall, while Simon Yates is 10th.

The race ends in Rome on 1 June.