Fresh from the World Championship in Canada where he finished seventh with the Italian National Team jersey, Italian Under 23 Champion Mattia Negrente (title won in Tuscany at the end of June in the Lucca race) claimed victory at the finish line on Viale Europa in Terranuova Bracciolini on the Arno, winning the 56th "Golden Wheel - 94th Gran Premio Festa del Perdono".

A masterclass performance from Negrente, who attacked with Frenchman Saint-Martin 70 km from the finish when the two broke away from a group of 18 escapees; they were caught in the final by two chasers but proved strongest in the sprint. A fiercely contested edition with consistently high speeds throughout (the final average nearly reached 44 km/h) and a continuous series of attacks, culminating in the 18-rider breakaway from which Italian champion Negrente and Frenchman Saint-Martin escaped 70 km from the finish. The finale was thrilling and of rare beauty with Negrente and the Frenchman caught just 7 km from the line by Jølving and Pizzi. Mellano, the impressive winner of the mountain classification at the four passages over Cima Berna, failed to close the gap, finishing 11 seconds behind his teammate Negrente. Excellent performances from Frenchman Saint-Martin, Danish rider Jølving, and Pizzi as well.

161 riders started the race and only 20 finished.

FINAL CLASSIFICATION

1 Negrente Mattia XDS Astana Development Team 03:52:21

2 Saint-Martin Pierre AVC Aix-en-Provence Dole + 00

3 Pizzi Nicolo Team Technipes #inEmiliaRomagna Caffè Borbone + 00

4 Schultz Jølving Otto Team Coloquick + 00

5 Mellano Ludovico XDS Astana Development Team + 11

6 Bambagioni Tommaso Team Technipes #inEmiliaRomagna Caffè Borbone + 21

7 Bicelli Michele Biesse-Carrera Premac + 21

8 Consolidani Leonardo Bahrain Victorious Development Team + 49

9 Galbusera Pietro XDS Astana Development Team + 49

10 De Gendt Leander Bahrain Victorious Development Team + 50

11 Lightfoot Mark AVC Aix-en-Provence Dole + 50

12 Bernardi Thomas Swatt Club + 50

13 Bosio Tommaso General Store-Essegibi-F.Ili Curia + 50

14 Bertolli Samuel Team Nippo Nuovacomauto Obor + 50

15 Sanfilippo Cristian Biesse-Carrera Premac + 50

16 Rosato Giacomo Bahrain Victorious Development Team + 50

17 Cattani Alessandro Team Technipes #inEmiliaRomagna Caffè Borbone + 50

18 Layrac Gabriel AVC Aix-en-Provence Dole + 50

19 Uderzo Riccardo Solme Olmo Arvedi + 01:08

20 Zanini Simone XDS Astana Development Team + 06:03