Froome has suffered so far at the three-week race, with his hopes of clinching a third successive Grand Tour title looking increasingly distant.

The Team Sky rider’s participation had also been overshadowed by the ongoing controversy over his salbutamol case.

He was able to put the case and his difficulties in the opening two weeks of the race behind him with an impressive ride on the fearsome Monte Zoncolan climb at the end of the 186km stage from San Vito Al Tagliamento.

Dutch team-mate Wout Poels set a strong pace on the lower part of the climb, causing Italy’s Fabio Aru to be one of the main climbers to drop off the back of the lead group.

Froome took over with four kilometres to go, with the Briton heading solo towards the finish.

He was followed by the pink jersey, Yates, who sought to make further gains on defending champion Tom Dumoulin, with the Dutchman likely to make large inroads in the time trial later in the race.

Yates appeared to be closing a 10 second gap to Froome in the closing two kilometres but ended six seconds down as the Team Sky rider topped the summit in 5 hours 25min 31sec.

“It's a really special feeling to win at the top of this climb, especially after the hard start I've had,” Froome said.

“It's such a monumental climb in this Giro d'Italia.

“I did the recon and I believed that with 4km to go was the right place to attack.

“Right to the line, Simon Yates was just behind me.

“It's a relief to win here.”

Yates was left to see the time gaps to his closest challengers, with Italy’s Domenico Pozzovivo the next rider across the line, 17 seconds behind the current race leader.

Colombia’s Miguel Angel Lopez was a further two seconds down, with Dumoulin and France’s Thibaut Pinot crossing at 31 and 36 seconds down on Yates.

The gaps allowed Yates, who rides for Mitchelton-Scott, to extend his overall lead to 1:24 from second place Dumoulin.

Pozzovivo and Pinot are 1:37 and 1:46 off the pace of the leader, while Froome’s stage victory helped him move into the top five.

The Team Sky rider is some way back from the top four riders, as he lies 3:10 off the race lead.

Racing will continue tomorrow with a 176km stage from Tolmezzo to Sappada.

The final rest day will follow on Monday (May 21).