The Italian Autumn Begins
In Italy, autumn is synonymous with one-day classics. During September and October, up to 15 men’s races in categories 1.1 and 1.Pro delight the country’s fans. The string of races begins this Sunday, September 7, with the GP Industria & Artigianato and reaches its peak in a month with Il Lombardia, the last monument of the year and the only one of these races that is part of the UCI WorldTour.
In this article, we will review the first 1.Pro race of this long list, the GP Industria & Artigianato.
Route
The race features an undulating course with 2,300 meters of elevation gain over 195 km, spread across several laps of three different circuits around the small town of Larciano. The two climbs to Fornello (2.9 km at 6.1%) and the three final ascents to San Baronto (8.4 km at 3.5%) are the points where the race can break apart.
Favorites
Marc Hirschi (600), Richard Carapaz (1000), Isaac Del Toro (1000), Cristina Scaroni (600), Clément Champoussin (400), Alberto Bettiol (400), Diego Ulissi (600), Simone Velasco (400), Jan Christen (600), Jordan Jegat (400), Vincenzo Albanese (400), Eduard Prades (200), Dylan Teuns (200), and Markus Hoelgaard (200) are some of the most notable riders at the start line.
Photo: © Giovanni Rastrelli Stabbia / GP Industria & Artigianato