'To make it happen is a dream come true': Luke Plapp solos to maiden Grand Tour stage win at Giro d'Italia

Luke Plapp has unlocked a breakthrough Grand Tour stage win at the Giro d'Italia in trademark solo style after attacking the breakaway with 45 kilometres to go on Stage 8's hilly Apennines route.

Plapp (Team Jayco AlUla), notorious as a star of the Australian summer of cycling after claiming three road race national titles and three time trial national titles since 2021, had only tasted his first European stage victory last month at the Tour of the Hellas in Greece, but has now quickly built on that milestone with a coming-of-age performance that he will hope opens the floodgates.

The 24-year-old Brunswick Cycling Club product rode into Castelraimondo with ample time to soak up the moment, finishing 38 seconds ahead of Wilco Kelderman (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Diego Ulissi (XDS Astana Team), with the latter riding into the maglia rosa as the general classification leader of the Giro d'Italia.

"It's pretty crazy, I still can't believe it to be honest," Plapp said.

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

"Last year I got so close at the Giro so many times and for today to happen is so, so special.

"We marked it as a stage (to target) a few weeks ago and this morning on the bus we were really excited, so to make it happen is a dream come true."

On the penultimate climb of the day up Montelago, the breakaway had separated into small groups and Plapp made his move, first was bridging across to the front of the race from his second group on the road and then the Victorian attacked as the summit neared.

From there, Plapp was in his zone as the solo man at the head of the race and maintained his gap of nearly a minute to the chasing trio behind of Kelderman, Ulissi and Igor Arrieta (UAE Team Emirates XRG) over the closing 40 kilometres.

Post-race Plapp said his attack on Montelago was to avoid a sprint finish.

"I knew I couldn't beat any of them in a sprint," he said.

"So I knew had to go at some stage pretty early and I think the way the racing has been going this year, the long moves have been really successful, so that was sort of in the back of my mind.

"The first one to make a move I think always has an advantage, so I just thought I'd give it a crack and to be honest just wanted a bit of a head start on the descent as well. To stay away all the way to the finish is definitely not what I expected.

"It was such a fight to get in the breakaway but it was all worth it in the end and to have Koen (Bouwman) in there with me as well was amazing."

A turbulent 12 months that has contained Olympics disappointment, a wrist injury earlier this year and a fall at the Giro d'Italia's opening time trial on Stage 2 has now led Plapp to his greatest day in Europe.

"I think from the Olympics last year to wrist surgery in February and now crashing in the first TT, it makes everything almost worth it," he said.

"The lows in cycling are super, super low and there's a long time between highs, so to have a result like this is amazing."

Feature picture: Getty Images/Tim de Waele