GranPiemonte set to race along the rolling hills of the Langhe before arriving in Barolo

The race will start from Santo Stefano Belbo before arriving in Barolo after 187 kilometers of riding

The 104th edition of the GranPiemonte race, organised by RCS Sport in collaboration with the Piedmont Region, will pit riders against a challenging route in the splendid Langhe hills. Scheduled for Wednesday, 12 August 2020, the race will start from Santo Stefano Belbo before arriving in Barolo after 187 kilometers of riding.

THE ROUTE

This year’s race follows a demanding route along the rolling Langhe hills, situated in the Piedmont provinces of Asti and Cuneo, that offers riders little chance for respite amidst a long series of climbs and descents. A 44km circuit through the vineyards of the Alba area is set to be completed twice in the race’s finale. Riders will tackle the climbs of Rocchetta Palafea, Mango, Barbaresco and Diano d’Alba before entering the circuit after leaving Grinzane Cavour. The circuit itself features the climbs of La Morra, Barolo and Monforte d’Alba. The race’s final climb is the same the peloton faced at the finish of the Barbaresco-Barolo ITT in 2014’s Giro d’Italia, now with an extra stretch of ascending required before reaching the line.

Final Kilometres

After descending from the town of Morra, the route takes a right turn that heads towards the race’s uphill finish. The road’s gradient remains at a constant 5 to 6% until another right turn 600m from the finish line that steepens the gradient to 8 or 9%. A left-hand corner 300m from the finish line leads onto the final 250m-long, 6m-wide asphalt finishing straight.

Quotes from the press conference

Paolo Bellino, CEO and General Manager of RCS Sport said: “This edition of GranPiemonte will be truly unforgettable because it will go ahead after a very difficult period, but also because it will be a new start for the territory and will take place in one of the most beautiful areas of Italy. The Langhe hills, where some of the most famous wines in the world are produced, and the arrival in Barolo will provide an unforgettable day for enthusiasts among the vineyards and towns that are deeply connected to the sport of cycling.”

“Being able to announce the GranPiemonte is always a joy but this year my happiness is possibly even greater because the competition marks the possibility of returning to talking about great sport after months of waiting due to the Coronavirus emergency,” says the Regional Councilor for Sport Fabrizio Ricca. “Bikes coming back to the roads of Piedmont will mark a return to normality for riders and fans alike. It will also represent a fresh start for our region, a land of sport, which will see the race cross the beautiful Langhe hills.”

Matteo Ascari, President of the Barolo, Barbaresco, Alba, Langhe and Dogliani Consortium said: “Our territory is very suitable for cycling and is already a paradise destination for cycle amateurs. We are very happy that pro cycling returns to our roads and that GranPiemonte will arrive in Barolo after the beautiful ITT of the 2014 Giro d’Italia. It will be a phenomenal promotion for the area.”

The Mayor of Barolo, Renata Bianco said: “We are happy that GranPiemonte will pass through and arrive in Barolo. In this difficult year, we have witnessed unimaginable setbacks. Many events have had to be canceled, from the smallest festivals to international events like Barolo’s Collisioni festival. We want to return to normality and hosting the finish of a race as prestigious and of such international appeal as GranPiemonte is a good sign of things to come and certainly a great opportunity to highlight once again the quality, competence and professionalism that distinguish our UNESCO World Heritage territory.”

The Deputy Mayor of Santo Stefano Belbo, Laura Capra, said: ”The municipal administration is really pleased that RCS Sport have chosen Santo Stefano Belbo for the start of the GranPiemonte, to eventually finish in Barolo. This creates a beautiful union between two wine-growing areas that combines two great wines (Moscato d’Asti and Barolo) that are famous all over the world. Santo Stefano Belbo and Barolo, with Alba – the city from which a stage of the Giro d’Italia will start on 24 October – will form a unique triangle in the international cycling scene. Santo Stefano Belbo is ready to welcome riders and confident that our territory will be able to win over fans with its beauty.”

The Director of the Langhe e Roero Office for Tourism, Mauro Carbone said: “The race crosses the core areas of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It starts from the typically beautiful area of Moscato di Santo Stefano Belbo, and then passes over the subterranean cathedrals of Canelli and near the Barbera area, where one finds the municipalities of Nizza Monferrato and Costigliole d’Asti. The route then reaches the Langhe, Neive and Barbaresco. The grand finale is the circuit in the Langa del Barolo area that finishes in the heart of the village under the Falletti Castle of Barolo. We are happy to host such great riders and to see them riding our local hills. Our tourist offer focuses heavily on outdoor sports with services dedicated to cycling enthusiasts, and we are very proud of that.”