Dennis’ effort was all the more remarkable considering the wind had changed for the final few riders, with a headwind in the final straight making things tough for the men fighting for their GC positions.

Thomas was one beneficiary of that; the Welshman’s solid effort of 11’34” – eight seconds slower than compatriot Steve Cummings (Dimension Data), but marginally faster than British time trial champion Alex Dowsett (Movistar) – saw him leapfrog Dutch time trial champion Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) to claim fifth overall.

After a disastrous team time trial for Team Sky, there was no repeat of the wheel issues which beset the team that day, and with a stage win, second place on the queen stage and now fifth overall in the bag for Thomas, completed a brilliant recovery.

The stage otherwise passed with little incident, but for a heart-stopping moment for Peter Sagan (Bora-hansgrohe) as he nearly collided with a pedestrian.

Approaching a zebra crossing, Sagan had to veer off course and onto a bike path as a pedestrian tried to run across the road with their dog.

Sagan survived, however, and heads into Saturday’s Milan-San Remo in good form after two stage wins, while Quintana issued a big marker as he gears up for a Giro-Tour double assault later this year.

Tirreno-Adriatico 2017: stage seven (ITT) – result

1) Rohan Dennis (AUS) – BMC Racing – 11.18
2) Jos van Emden (NED) – LottoNL-Jumbo +3”
3) Michael Hepburn (AUS) – Orica-Scott – ST
4) Steve Cummings (GBR) – Dimension Data +8”
5) Primoz Roglic (SVN) – LottoNL-Jumbo +11”
6) Maciej Bodnar (POL) – Bora-hansgrohe +15”
7) Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) – Dimension Data – ST
8) Geraint Thomas (GBR) – Team Sky +16”
9) Ryan Mullen (IRL) – Cannondale-Drapac +17”
10) Alex Dowsett (GBR) – Movistar – ST

General classification

1) Nairo Quintana (COL) – Movistar – 25.56.27hrs
2) Rohan Dennis (AUS) – BMC Racing +25”
3) Thibaut Pinot (FRA) – FDJ +36”
4) Primoz Roglic (SVN) – LottoNL-Jumbo +45”
5) Geraint Thomas (GBR) – Team Sky +58”
6) Tom Dumoulin (NED) – Team Sunweb +1.01
7) Jonathan Castroviejo (ESP) – Movistar +1.18
8) Rigoberto Uran (COL) – Cannondale-Drapac +1.36
9) Bauke Mollema (NED) – Trek-Segafredo +1.38
10) Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA) – Ag2r-La Mondiale +1.59