Frenchman Dorian Godon won Thursday's Gran Piemonte one-day semi-classic in a sprint finish in northwestern Italy.
The race, which was first run in 1906 and is one of the oldest on the cycling calendar, is the last major test before Sunday's Giro di Lombardia, the final Monument classic of the season.
Mexican Isaac Del Toro, one of the favourites for victory in the Classic of the Falling Leaves in the absence of his UAE Emirates-XRG teammate Tadej Pogacar, showed he had good legs with a late attack.
Del Toro went clear 18km from the finish of the 181km race in Piedmont with an attack on the La Morra climb as only New Zealander Finn Fisher-Black was able to follow him.
The pair, who had a lead of over 30sec at the top of the climb, were caught with 1.5km left.
Godon pipped Dane Anthon Charmig and Italian Alberto Bettiol in the dash to the line.
🔻Un finale epico a Bra tra ruote veloci, dopo che il favorito è stato ripreso proprio all’ultimo chilometro 🔻A hectic finish in Bra between fast riders, as the main favourite was caught under the flamme rouge. #GranPiemonte presented by @CA_Ita #LastKM @continentaltire https://t.co/QuSqj2K2HG
— GranPiemonte (@GranPiemonte) October 8, 2026
Lombardia will almost certainly have a new name on its winners list come Sunday as 39-year-old Bauke Mollema, who is well past his best, will be the only previous champion on the start line.
Pogacar had won the last five editions.
World champion Brandon McNulty, European champion Remco Evenepoel and French prodigy Paul Seixas will be among the favourites to challenge Del Toro.