Bora-Hansgrohe rider Matt Walls won the Gran Piemonte in Borgosesia in a bunch sprint from Giacomo Nizzolo (Qhubeka) and Olav Kooij (Jumbo-Visma).
Walls, who emerged as the 2021 Olympic omnium champion, overcame Max Richeze (UAE Team Emirates), before holding off Nizzolo and Kooij. UAE Team Emirates rider Matteo Trentin finished fourth, with Intermarche-Wanty’s-Gobert’s Biniam Girmay in fifth.
The contest was initially dominated by a break from Manuele Boaro (Astana-PremierTech), Sylvain Moniquet (Lotto Soudal), Marc Soler (Movistar), Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (Trek-Segafredo) and Marco Frapporti (Vini Zabu), but they never broke too far beyond the chasing pack.
Gran Piemonte
Gran Piemonte: Highlights as Britain's Matt Walls powers to victory
07/10/2021 AT 17:40
With a little under 30km to go, the sprinters closed in on the leading riders, before Walls eventually claimed victory.
"They were all there coming towards the end, I saw my opportunity to go and I went for it," said Walls after the race.
"It was pretty hectic coming in towards the finish, there were a couple of crashes or something, but I think it helped a lot being able to position myself well in the bunch."

Walls delighted with Gran Piemonte success

"It's really big, it shows that I can perform on the top level on the road," Walls said. "I knew I could do it on the track after the Olympics. so it's nice to be able to do that on the road as well."
Gran Piemonte
WATCH - ‘Amazing they didn’t go down there’ - Matthew Walls secures victory in a chaotic finish
07/10/2021 AT 15:17
Gran Piemonte
Walls delighted with Gran Piemonte success
07/10/2021 AT 15:12