Italian Eyob Faniel won the Venice Marathon on Sunday after a bizarre incident in which the leading six runners took a wrong turn.

Favourites Abdulahl Dawud, Gilbert Kipleting Chumba, Kipkemei Mutai and David Kiprono Metto were among the leading group which followed a motorcycle off the course after 25 kilometres, covering several hundred metres before being made aware of their error and turning back.

They lost about two minutes.

Eyob Faniel won the Venice Marathon after other runners took a wrong turn. ( Venice Marathon )

Faniel, who runs for the local Venice Marathon Club, was about a minute behind the leaders at the time but found himself leading the race along with Mohammed Mussa.

The 25-year-old went on to become the first Italian to win the race in 22 years.

Faniel finished in 2 hours, 12 minutes and16 seconds, beating Mussa by nearly two minutes. Tariq Bamaarouf was third, just ahead of Chumba.

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AP