Cummings victorious at the Giro della Toscana

Dimension Data's Steve Cummings sprinted to victory at the Giro della Toscana off the late break which included Vincenzo Nibali.

The final sprint. Source: Getty

Cummings, the British road and time trial champion, finished ahead of breakaway companions Egan Bernal (Androni-Sidermec) and Frederik Backaert (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) with Nibali rolling through last in the four-rider group.

Nibali's Bahrain-Merida team-mate Sonny Colbrelli won the bunch sprint for fifth.

The victory came after an early break was kept in check and later neutralised during the 181.8km stage held in Pontedera, Italy.

In the final, Cummings timed his sprint to perfection after Backaert started the run into the finish.

“I wasn’t really feeling super today, having missed so much racing," Cummings said. "I couldn’t follow on the explosive climb so I just stayed calm, waited and then went full gas after the climb.

"It turned out to be a good tactic. Towards the end, we were going so fast at the front that there wasn’t an opportunity to split the group so I just waited for the sprint. I let it all out there and I’m just really happy now."

Vincenzo Nibali driving the break. Source: Getty

Nibali got the winning break started with nearly 40km to go and contributed to the one-minute advantage it held over the peloton.

"I was feeling good," Nibali said in his first race after the Vuelta a Espana. "I knew Stephen Cummings was very strong in the sprint, but I wanted to try the same.

"I'm happy with my performance that makes me look confident to the Giro di Lombardia on 7 October."

The two-stage race concludes with a 165.1km stage from Lajatico to Volterra and includes a mountaintop finish.

(L-R) Egan Bernal, Steve Cummings, Frederik Backaert. Source: Getty