Race organizer RCS Sport invited the professional cycling peloton to a spring battle in the popular Milano-Torino classic – the oldest cycling classic of the world. Milano-Torino 2025 would be contested on a 174-kilometer route from Rho – Torino (Superga). The race profile included two categorized climbs in the race finale: The Bivio di Superga (4.2 km; 9.2%) and the Basilica di Superga (4.8 km; 9.2%). Apart from the two climbs in the final kilometers of the race, the race would be contested in flat terrain.

The start list featured prominent riders such as Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates), Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost), Michael Storer (Tudor Pro Cycling Team), Marc Hirschi (Tudor Pro Cycling Team), Alberto Bettiol, Harold Tejada, Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility), Michael Woods (Team Premier Tech), and Diego Ulissi. The race route was expected to appeal to climbers in the peloton.

The riders gathered at the start line in Rho in cool conditions, but with sunny skies. The temperature was just nine degrees Celsius, but fortunately the temperature was 14 degrees in the finish town.

A five-man breakaway was established early in the race. The five optimists were Jonas Rutsch (Intermarche-Wanty), Nariyuki Masuda (JCL Team Ukyo), Kristian Sbaragli (Team Solution Tech – Vini Fantini), Davide Baldaccini (Team Solution Tech – Vini Fantini), and Mattia Bais (Team Polti-Visit Malta). The quintet had an advantage of 02:50 minutes after fifty kilometers of racing. Riders from Tudor Pro Cycling Team and UAE Team Emirates were setting a fast pace at the front of the main peloton to keep the time difference under control.

When ninety kilometers of the race remained, UAE Team Emirates was solely responsible for the chase effort and had reduced the time advantage of the breakaway to just two minutes.

The front riders reached the Superga climb with an advantage of just 47 seconds. Several teams were taking turns at the front of the main peloton to reduce the advantage of the frontmen while also setting up their own captains for late attacks. EF Education-EasyPost, Uno-X Mobility, 

Sbaragli, Masuda, and Baldaccini were dropped from the breakaway on the climb. Bais and Rutsch pressed on, but with a lead of just fifteen seconds.

Bais was caught when approximately twenty kilometers of the race remained and 0.3 kilometers of the climb. A much-reduced peloton group was now chasing Rutsch.

A challenging descent via Rivodora now awaited the riders, who would return to San Mauro before the final ascent to the finish, which featured gradient sections of more than 10%.

Germany’s Jonas Rutsch was remarkably still in front after the descent, with only ten kilometers remaining. He now had an advantage of 23 seconds. UAE Team Emirates riders were leading the chase.

Rutsch was caught by the remains of the peloton with 4.6-kilometers remaining. 

Alessandro Covi attacked for UAE Team Emirates but was caught.

Anders Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility) attacked with 3.2 kilometers left. Cepeda countered. Richard Carapaz moved to the front for EF Education-EasyPost. Adam Yates took over the lead for UAE Team Emirates. Ben Tulett joined the fun for Team Visma-Lease a Bike.

Six men were in a lead group when 2.3 kilometers remained of the race. Anders Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility), Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates), Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates), Ben Tulett (Visma-Lease a Bike), Einer Rubio (Movistar), and Jefferson Alexander Cepeda (EF Education-EasyPost). Tobias Johannessen joined the frontmen.

Adam Yates was setting a fast pace with 1.3-kilometers remained. Isaac del Toro attacked. Tobias Johannesen countered as did Ben Tulett.

Tobias Johannessen attacked with 800 meters left of the climb and the race. Del Toro and Tulett caught up.

Tobias Johannessen attacked in the final meters and created a gap. Tulett reeled him back in.

Tulett launched his sprint, but Del Toro was on his wheel. Jonannessen was there too.

Isaac del Toro launched a powerful uphill sprint in the final one hundred meters and was first across the finish line as winner of Milano-Torino 2025. What a fantastic race result for the Mexican rider from UAE Team Emirates. Ben Tulett finished second for Team Visma-Lease a Bike, while Tobias Halland Johannessen completed the race podium for his Uno-X Mobility team. Adam Yates finished fourth.

Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com for complete coverage from the 2025 professional cycling season.