The October campaign on Italian roads moves to Piedmont, where the next autumn Classic, Gran Piemonte, takes place on Thursday, October 8th.
The 110th edition will unfold from the medieval town of Asti, in the heart of Piedmont, to Bra in the province of Cuneo, covering a 185-kilometre hilly course through the Langhe, Monferrato, and Roero areas.

“This year’s route of Gran Piemonte won’t be an easy one,” Bahrain Victorious Head Sports Director Gorazd Štangelj explains when asked about a preview of a race that often changes its soul, being suited for sprinters, climbers, and classics specialists alike. “This edition is wide open. I guess it will be a matter of a restricted sprint, and we aim to be there to contest it with our leader Pau Miquel to jump onto the podium.”
In the final, Afonso Eulálio and Edoardo Zambanini will be key riders alongside Pau. They need to protect him, commit fully to the sprint, and lead him out until the very last metres. With a strong start list, narrow roads, and the possibility of wet and cold conditions, positioning will be crucial. We have to keep racing at the front, especially if it rains, and give Pau the best possible chance to fight for the podium.
The start should be very fast, and I expect the breakaway to go relatively early, so our first priority will be to cover dangerous moves. Mohorič and Borgo will have this role from the start, while also helping us control the composition of the break if necessary.
“After that, the key will be to protect Pau and keep the team well-positioned. On these narrow roads, especially if the weather is wet, staying in front can save a lot of energy. The climbs of Manera, Tre Cunei, and Roddino should progressively take some freshness out of the peloton.
I’d say that the second time we climb La Mora, that is where the race should really start. After that, it is a race for the win. We need to keep Pau protected and neutralise dangerous attacks with Eulálio, Miholjević, and Caruso. We also need to be very smart about the final 700 metres. The priority is to bring Pau into the right position for the sprint.
Damiano will once again be our road captain. It is one of his last races, so I hope he can enjoy these final kilometres of his career while doing what he does best: guiding the team.”

Gran Piemonte will be the last dance for 38-year-old Damiano Caruso, who had long signalled his retirement at the end of this 2026 season. In May, the team announced that he would remain with Bahrain Victorious beyond his racing career as a Sports Director.
Now, after an intense year that saw him ride two Grand Tours – including the Giro d’Italia, where he played a pivotal role supporting and mentoring white jersey winner Afonso Eulálio, and the Tour de France – the moment to say goodbye has arrived.

“I have to admit that there is some emotion, even though I have been preparing myself for this moment for months,” Damiano Caruso admits on the eve of his final race as a professional.
“Even though this is the last race of my career, it has been a season raced at a high level, in which I certainly didn’t hold back. Despite the fatigue making itself felt, I’m proud to be able to bring my career to a close in a year in which I managed to ride two Grand Tours in relatively quick succession. I had the satisfaction of supporting Eulálio in the fight for the pink jersey and then seeing him win the white jersey.
On top of that, after a couple of months, making it to the Champs-Élysées was one of my goals for this year, and I’m very happy to have achieved it. Now I’ll enjoy these final kilometres on the bike, honouring my role as road captain and, above all, giving my all until the very end for this sport that has given me so much and that will continue to be part of my life in my new role as a Sports Director.”