It had been 19 years since a foreign athlete, the last being Frenchman Aurelien Passeron in 2006, had won the Florence-Empoli, the national classic opening race for elite and under-23 riders honoring Renzo Maltinti. The winner was twenty-four-year-old David Benjamin Granger, a key athlete of the Tuscan MG Vis Costruzioni e Ambiente team directed by Baldini and Frizzo. A victory for the strongest rider both in the sprint and in the race development, as Granger initiated a breakaway after 20 km with six other riders.

After 60 km, another 8 riders rejoined the peloton, and the breakaway group disintegrated on the fourth passage of the Monterappoli climb. Six riders remained at the front; on the Casetta climb, both Guzzo, winner in Empoli in 2022, and Regnanti from Team Hopplà, the best with Galigani among the Tuscan riders, dropped off. The quartet then went on to contest the victory, a battle between Chesini and Granger, who ultimately overtook him in the very final meters to claim the important win. A fast Florence-Empoli, with an average speed over 42 km/h, saw 173 starters at the start, with Letizia Perini, sports assessor of the Florence Municipality, present. At the finish line were Empoli's mayor Alessio Mantellassi, regional CONI president Simone Cardullo, and Enrico Sostegni representing the Tuscany Region. As traditional, the organization was excellent, to the satisfaction of Roberto and Cristina Maltinti.

For those who raced today in Empoli, tomorrow brings a rematch on the Cerbaie hills in the 63rd G.P. La Torre di Fucecchio-Memorial Simonetto Campigli. 133 riders from 21 teams are registered, with a undulating 3.900 km circuit to be repeated 26 times for a total of 101 km. The start is at 1:30 PM, with the finish expected around 4 PM.

FINISH ORDER
km 152 in 3h 36'17 avg/h 42.167

1 GRANGER Ben Gbr - MG.Kvis Costruzioni e Ambiente
2 CHESINI Cesare MBHBank Colpack Ballan CSB
3 NEMBRINI Diego General Store Essegibi F.lli Curia
4 CATTANI Alessandro Technipes #inEmiliaRomagna 7"
5 REGNANTI Matteo Team Hopplà 30"
6 GUZZO Federico SC Padovani Polo
7 ROSSETTI Thomas General Store Essegibi F.lli Curia 41"
8 VENERI Raffaele GC Sissio Team
9 BOSIO Tommaso General Store Essegibi F.lli Curia
10 GALIGANI Leonardo UC Pistoiese Team 44"