Tre Valli Varesine is a classic Italian hilly one-day race of just over 196 kilometres, departing from Busto Arsizio and finishing in Varese across rolling, punchy terrain that rewards riders able to surge repeatedly on short climbs. The flat finale means a small select group that arrives together may tip the balance toward a well-rounded rider with a capable sprint rather than a pure climber. The race sits in the heart of the Lombard autumn classics week, meaning several of the major stars are using it as preparation for Il Lombardia.
★★★★
Top Favorite
Remco Evenepoel stands alone at the top of this preview. He has been in devastating form on hilly, punchy terrain over the past three months, winning four races of a comparable profile and recording six top-3 finishes, combining explosive attacking ability with a strong sprint and near-peerless all-round quality. With this race confirmed in his calendar and Il Lombardia to follow, he is clearly motivated for this Lombard block.
Red Bull - BORA
Red Bull - BORA
Remco Evenepoel is the standout favorite with an extraordinary recent run in similar-profile races, including victories at stage 1 of the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec and stage 1 of the Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa, adding up to four wins and six top-3s in comparable terrain. He is among the very best all-rounders in this field on hilly, punchy finishes and arrives confirmed on the startlist.
★★★
Strong Contenders
Tom Pidcock and Giulio Ciccone both arrive with strong claims to a podium spot. Pidcock's win at the GP Industria & Artigianato and eight top-10 finishes in similar conditions show he is peaking at the right moment, while Ciccone's home-roads advantage and three recent top-3s on comparable terrain make him a local favourite who will be difficult to shake on this course.
Lidl-Trek
Lidl-Trek
Giulio Ciccone is a proven Italian classics specialist with three top-3s and seven top-10s in similar-profile races lately and is confirmed on the startlist for this race. He races on home roads and his punchy, hilly ability suits the undulating route into Varese perfectly.
Pinarello-Q36.5
Pinarello-Q36.5
Tom Pidcock has been in excellent form on similar terrain, recording a win at stage 1 of the GP Industria & Artigianato alongside three top-3s and eight top-10s in comparable races. His hilly and punchy skills make him a natural fit for the Varese finish and he is confirmed for this race.
★★
Dark Horses
Lennert Van Eetvelt, Oscar Onley, and Romain Grégoire form the second tier of genuine contenders. Van Eetvelt is a fearless attacker who already has a win this season on similar ground; Onley won at Vuelta a Burgos on a comparable profile and arrives with a targeted preparation; and Grégoire's repeated consistency on hilly finishes, including two recent top-3s, earns him a dark-horse role at CycloDraft prices.
Lotto Intermarché
Lotto Intermarché
Lennert Van Eetvelt has shown sharp form in hilly one-day and stage races, winning stage 3 of the Tour de Slovaquie and adding two top-3s in comparable terrain. Confirmed for this race, he is a dangerous attacker who can hurt rivals on repeated punchy climbs.
INEOS Grenadiers
INEOS Grenadiers
Oscar Onley secured a win at stage 2 of the Vuelta a Burgos in similar conditions and is confirmed for Tre Valli Varesine, having built steadily through the Lombard autumn campaign. His hilly profile is among the better fits in the INEOS Grenadiers camp here.
Groupama-FDJ
Groupama-FDJ
Romain Grégoire is confirmed on the startlist and arrives with two top-3s and five top-10s in comparable recent races, showcasing consistent form on hilly terrain. His attacking style and good sprint out of a small group make him a realistic podium threat.
★
Ones to Watch
The outsider tier features four riders with credible but less certain paths to the top. Andrea Bagioli's Tour of Austria win, Tobias Halland Johannessen's Vuelta stage victory, Mauro Schmid's Tour de France stage win, and Davide Piganzoli's Luxembourg triumph all demonstrate the ability to compete at this level. Any of them could profit if the race fragments early or the bigger names cancel each other out.
Lidl-Trek
Lidl-Trek
Andrea Bagioli claimed victory at stage 4 of the Tour of Austria on a similar profile and has shown he can compete in punchy finales. He brings good form into the Lombard racing block as part of a strong Lidl-Trek squad.
Visma - Lease a Bike
Visma - Lease a Bike
Davide Piganzoli won stage 4 of the Tour de Luxembourg and has recorded multiple top-3 and top-5 results in similar terrain, suggesting real aptitude for this kind of finish. He adds a young attacking option to round out the field of contenders.
Jayco AlUla
Jayco AlUla
Mauro Schmid took an impressive win at stage 13 of the Tour de France and has shown he can excel on punchy, hilly terrain when the race is strung out. His versatile profile and recent major-race pedigree make him a genuine wildcard.
Tobias
Halland Johannessen
Uno-X Mobility
Uno-X Mobility
Tobias Halland Johannessen won stage 21 of the Vuelta a España and reached two top-3s in hilly races recently, demonstrating he can finish off hard efforts with speed. He represents one of the more intriguing dark-horse options from outside the top teams.
Verdict
Remco Evenepoel, fresh from four wins in similar-profile races including victories at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec and Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa, is the clear favourite to take the win in Varese; Tom Pidcock and Giulio Ciccone are his most dangerous challengers on terrain that suits all three.