Video posted to Twitter by Lampre-Merida shows the moment two frightened horses joined the Giro d’Italia peloton during a descent on Friday’s Stage 13 from Palmanova to Cividale del Friuli, won by Sky’s Mikel Nieve.

Team staff in the car tried spraying water at the animals – which appear to be a mare and her foal – to try and make them stop, but to no avail.

Luckily, the galloping horses did not get collide with any riders or race vehicles, which could have had disastrous consequences for man and beast alike.