In 2009, the race entered a new chapter in its history and took on the name GranPiemonte. It was not just the name that changed, but the entire philosophy of the race: held just a few days before Il Lombardia, it became an important rehearsal for the specialists targeting the autumn Classics.
Not every edition, however, has followed the same script. The route has often changed and, on several occasions, has offered opportunities to the fast men, as shown by the victories of Giacomo Nizzolo in 2016, Sonny Colbrelli in 2018 and Iván García Cortina in 2022. Philippe Gilbert ushered in the new era with back-to-back victories in 2009 and 2010. In the years that followed, the race’s roll of honour welcomed some of cycling’s biggest names: from Rigoberto Urán, winner in 2012, to Egan Bernal, who triumphed in 2019 just a few months after winning the Tour de France, and young Mexican Isaac Del Toro, who took victory in 2025.
2017: GranPiemonte doubles as the Italian Championships as Fabio Aru triumphs
The 2017 edition was a truly unusual one, as GranPiemonte was exceptionally held in June and doubled as the road race of the Italian National Championships. This meant there was more than just victory in the Piedmontese Classic at stake: the winner would also earn the right to wear the Italian national champion’s jersey for an entire season.
The race took place on 25 June over a demanding 236 kilometres from Asti to Ivrea. In the finale, the riders tackled the Ivrea circuit four times, featuring the Serra climb, where Fabio Aru showcased all his climbing talent, making the decisive difference before riding solo to victory.
What made that triumph truly unforgettable, however, was the emotion behind it. Aru had endured a very difficult few months: a knee injury had forced him to miss the Giro d’Italia, which that year was due to start in his native Sardinia, and just a few weeks earlier he had lost his teammate and friend Michele Scarponi. The Sardinian revealed that he had raced wearing one of Scarponi’s old jerseys, which he had been given during a training camp in Sierra Nevada. On the podium, he showed it to the crowd and, in tears, dedicated his Italian national title to his late friend.
It was therefore a double triumph: GranPiemonte and the Tricolore, secured with a climber’s attack and accompanied by a deeply personal dedication. Just a few days later, Aru took the Italian champion’s jersey to the Tour de France, where he won at La Planche des Belles Filles and also wore the yellow jersey for two days.
Click HERE to explore the HISTORY page of GranPiemonte
