Tour de France champion Egan Bernal made a solo break to win Thursday's Gran Piemonte semi-classic race through the north of Italy, to warm up for this weekend's season-ending Giro di Lombardia.

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It was a Colombian and Team Ineos double as Bernal, helped by his teammates, made a break two kilometres from the line to finish six-seconds ahead of compatriot Ivan Ramiro Sosa.

French rider Nans Peters of AG2R La Mondiale finished third at eight seconds after the 183km run from Aglie to the Sanctuary of Oropa, the scene of Italian rider Marco Pantani's infamous Giro d'Italia stage victory in 1999 when he overtook 49 riders in the last eight kilometres.

"I woke up this morning with the desire to do a good race but winning is always difficult," said Bernal, who clocked 4hr 24min 16sec.

"It's great to finally win in Italy and a one day race for the first time.

"In leading me to the climb, Ivan Sosa showed that he was probably the strongest today. We've done a great job."

Standings

1. Egan Bernal (COL/Team Ineos) 4hr 24min 16sec (average: 41.55 km/h), 2. Ivan Sosa (COL/Team Ineos) at 0:06sec, 3. Nans Peters (FRA/AG2R La Mondiale) at 0:08, 4. Emanuel Buchmann (GER/Bora-Hansgrohe) 0:10 5. Dan Martin (IRL/UAE Team Emirates) 0:11