With the race resuming after a rest day, where the field travelled from the Netherlands, the 191 kilometre medium mountain stage from Catanzaro to Praia a Mare was expected to end German Marcel Kittel’s stay in the Maglia Rosa.

The race leader, despite the efforts of his Etixx-Quick Step team, was unable to keep in touch with the head of the race inside the closing 30km, as a flurry of attacks saw an elite group pull away.

Italy’s Valerio Conti was one of the key instigators in the main move and his strong work in establishing a lead proved pivotal, as he gave his team-mate Ulissi the platform to attack in the final 10km.

Ulissi grabbed the chance by launching a bid for victory on the Via del Fontino climb, with the 26-year-old going solo.

Although he was chased down by a strong group, which contained Dumoulin, Ulissi was able to hold on inside the final kilometre to win the fifth Giro d'Italia stage of his career in four hours, 46min and 51sec.

"I’m extremely happy, my victory comes after enormous team work,”  Lampre–Merida rider Ulissi said afterwards.

“Valerio Conti managed to create the small group and I rode away knowing that, on the final descent, the peloton of chasers would go even faster than me.

“I gave it everything I had, it’s a huge emotion."

After leading home the chasing group, five seconds behind the winner, Dumoulin moved back into the overall race lead.

The Dutchman now lies 20 seconds clear of Luxembourg’s Bob Jungels and Ulissi, while Dumoulin’s compatriot Steven Kruijswijk and Austria’s Georg Preidler are a further four seconds back.

Pre-race favourite Vincenzo Nibali of Italy and fellow contender Alejandro Valverde of Spain are well placed at 26 and 31 seconds behind the leader.

Stage five of the International Cycling Union (UCI) World Tour race will see the peloton tackle a 233km route from Praia a Mare to Benevento tomorrow.