The Deceuninck-Quick-Step rider attacked with 50 kilometres remaining of the queen stage, which saw riders tackle a 173km route from Bukovina Resort to Bukowina Tatrzańska.

The 20-year-old was chased by Denmark’s Jakob Fuglsang, Britain’s Simon Yates and Poland’s Rafal Majka in the closing 25 kilometres, who sought to reduce the one minute deficit.

Fuglsang ultimately began a solo effort to chase down Evenepoel, but the Belgian increased his advantage in the closing kilometres of the stage.

Evenepoel crossed the line in a winning time of 3 hours, 55min and 52sec.

He held up the race number of his team-mate Fabio Jakobsen in tribute to the Dutch rider, who is recovering in hospital after suffering serious facial injuries in a high-speed crash on the opening stage of the race.

Fuglsang finished as the runner-up on the stage, ending 1:48 down.

Yates and Majka crossed the line 2:22 behind the winner.

The stage victory saw Evenepoel assume the overall race lead, which had been held overnight by Ecuador's Richard Carapaz.

Evenepoel will take a 1:52 advantage over Fuglsang into tomorrow’s 188km final stage from Zakopane to Kraków.

Should Evenepoel retain his race lead, he will have won all four stage races he has contested this year.

The 20-year-old has already won the Volta ao Algarve, Vuelta a Burgos and the Vuelta a San Juan during the coronavirus impacted season.