Ion Izagirre beats Giulio Pellizzari to win Memorial Marco Pantani in final season

Ion Izagirre won the 2026 Memorial Marco Pantani. The Cofidis Spaniard proved the strongest in a four-man sprint, adding another impressive victory in the final season of his career by beating Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Mikkel Honoré (EF Education-EasyPost) and defending champion Michael Storer (Tudor).

The Italian autumn racing season is now well and truly underway. After the Giro della Toscana, Coppa Sabatini and GP Industria & Artigianato had already provided plenty of action, the Memorial Marco Pantani was next on the calendar. In the home region of 'The Pirate', Marco Pantani, a hilly race awaited the peloton, seemingly favouring riders who could both climb well and still produce a fast finish.

A hilly middle section was expected to create the main differences before the final 40 kilometres flattened out. However, the Memorial Marco Pantani is also a race where an early breakaway can survive deep into the finale. Joshua Golliker (EF Education-EasyPost), Rémi Cavagna (Groupama-FDJ), Clément Izquierdo (Cofidis), Iker Mintegi (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Mattia Bais (Polti VisitMalta) and Kevin Pezzo Rosola (General Store-Essegibi-F.Lli Curia) were the riders who decided to take their chances from the front.

They were not allowed to build a significant advantage for long. During the middle section, the climb to San Lorenzo in Scanno had to be tackled three times, alongside another ascent on the circuit. The breakaway riders were caught in those hills, and with around 80 kilometres remaining the race really came to life, largely thanks to defending champion Michael Storer of Tudor.

The Australian accelerated and took a small group of outsiders with him. Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana), Jai Hindley (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) and Ion Izagirre (Cofidis) were among those who followed. Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) later bridged across as well, and his pace reduced the leading group even further. Only Storer, Izagirre and Mikkel Honoré (EF Education-EasyPost) were able to stay with the young Italian.

That quartet emerged from the hilly section with a lead. They were certainly four strong riders, and their cooperation was good. However, the second group on the road had grown, meaning their advantage of around 50 seconds would be difficult to defend. Jayco AlUla's work initially appeared insufficient, with the gap actually increasing, although assistance from Movistar and Uno-X Mobility made the chase considerably more threatening again.

Yet that final half-minute was never closed, helped by Tudor disrupting the chase behind. The four riders at the front would therefore fight for victory. Storer wanted to avoid a sprint, but he was unable to get away. Izagirre launched his sprint from a very long way out, yet the veteran proved comfortably the strongest and powered clear of Pellizzari to secure another memorable victory in his farewell season.

1. Ion Izagirre
2. Giulio Pellizzari
3. Mikkel Honoré
4. Michael Storer
5. Markus Hoelgaard