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The Bologna hill race that sorts the autumn classics contenders

Giro dell’Emilia

A late-season Italian one-day race built around the San Luca climb, where positioning matters as much as power and the finale arrives fast.

Next edition Oct 2, 2027

2026 results Winners
Location
🇮🇹 Italy
When
First Saturday in October
Course
One Day
Most recent winner
🇮🇹 Davide Piganzoli (2026)
Category
Men’s 1.Pro

About Giro dell’Emilia

Giro dell'Emilia is a men's one-day bike race in northern Italy, run each autumn on a circuit around Bologna that finishes with repeated ascents of the steep San Luca climb. It sits in the heart of the Italian autumn racing block, just days before Il Lombardia.

The race has been held since 1909, making it one of the oldest fixtures on the Italian calendar.

This is the race where riders test their form before Il Lombardia, and where the San Luca climb becomes a sorting mechanism rather than a summit finish. The circuit format means positioning battles start early, and the finale compresses quickly once the climbers commit. It rewards tactical sharpness as much as climbing strength, and the narrow roads around Bologna make it hard to recover from a bad position.

Giro dell’Emilia winners

YearWinner
2026🇮🇹Davide Piganzoli
2025🇲🇽Isaac del Toro
2024🇸🇮Tadej Pogacar
2023🇸🇮Primoz Roglic
2022🇪🇸Enric Mas
2021🇸🇮Primoz Roglic

2027 edition

Oct 2, 2027.

Giro dell’Emilia route

The race is defined by the San Luca climb, a steep 2-kilometer ascent through the porticoes on the edge of Bologna that the peloton tackles multiple times in the closing circuits. The gradient averages around 10 percent, with ramps that touch 16, and the narrow road through the covered arcade makes it difficult to move up once the pace lifts. The circuit format means the race is controlled until it isn't, and once a strong team commits to the climb, the group fractures quickly. The finish line sits at the top of San Luca, so there is no descent to regroup or tactical recovery after the final acceleration. Riders who can handle repeated efforts and position themselves in the front 20 before the climb have the best chance, but the race often comes down to who still has a match to burn on the last ascent. Weather can add another variable, as wet cobbles on the lower slopes or wind on the

What shapes the race

  1. San Luca climb

    The race is defined by the climb to the Sanctuary of San Luca above Bologna. The steep, winding ascent on the portico-lined road is one of the most recognizable finishes in Italian cycling.

  2. Repeated ascents

    Modern editions often include multiple ascents of San Luca, with the final climb serving as the decisive selection point.

  3. Autumn GC indicator

    Held in October, the race attracts Grand Tour contenders using it as a final form test before the season ends.

Signature landmarks

  1. Summit finish

    Sanctuary of San Luca

    The hilltop sanctuary above Bologna, reached by a 2 km climb averaging 10% under the longest portico in the world. The most iconic finish in Italian autumn racing.

  2. Host city

    Bologna

    The Emilian capital provides the start and the cultural anchor. The city university heritage and cycling tradition give the race depth beyond the climb.

History

Memorable editions

  1. 2021

    Roglic attacks on San Luca

    Primoz Roglic won with a decisive attack on the final San Luca ascent, establishing the modern version of the race as a genuine WorldTour-caliber test.

  2. 2024

    Pogacar dominates

    Tadej Pogacar won in commanding fashion, confirming San Luca as a climb that attracts and rewards the very best riders in the world.

Iconic victories

  1. Primoz Roglic

    Two victories (2021, 2023) made Roglic the modern face of the Giro dell Emilia. His ability to attack on the steep San Luca gradients defined how the race is won.

  2. Tadej Pogacar

    Won in 2024 with a display of climbing superiority that confirmed San Luca as worthy of the world best rider.

  3. Isaac del Toro

    Won in 2025, adding Bologna to a season of victories that spanned multiple continents and calendar slots.

  4. Eddy Merckx

    Won the race during his dominant era, connecting the modern Giro dell Emilia to the deepest tradition in cycling history.

Eras and records

One of the oldest one-day races in the world, defined by the climb to San Luca above Bologna. The steep portico-lined road has tested climbers for over a century.

  1. First edition

    First held in 1909, making the Giro dell Emilia one of the oldest one-day races in the world.

  2. San Luca identity

    The climb to San Luca has defined the race for decades. The steep, winding road under the portico is one of the most recognized finishes in Italian cycling.

  3. Over a century of racing

    With more than 100 editions, the Giro dell Emilia has outlasted most European one-day races and remains a highlight of the Italian autumn calendar.