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Italian national champion Elisa Longo Borghini secured victory in the Alfredo Binda Trophy after launching a solo attack on the penultimate lap of the race.
The one-day race in Italy was making a comeback on the calendar after being canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 141.8km race featured an initial 27km route to Cittiglio, before a 44km circuit.
The cyclists then faced four loops of a 17 km circuit.
A series of attacks occurred throughout the race, with Frenchwoman Audrey Cordon-Ragot among the most aggressive runners trying to escape from the main field.
The key move came with 25 kilometers to go, when Longo Borghini walked away from the peloton.
The Trek-Segafredo rider held off a chasing group of five riders to claim a solo victory.
Longo Borghini crossed the line in a winning time of 3 hours, 43 minutes, 29 seconds.
The 29-year-old celebrated her second victory in the International Cycling Union (UCI) Women’s WorldTour race, having triumphed in 2013.
Longo Borghini now leads the WorldTour opening season standings.
Dutch star Marianne Vos won a sprint in the chasing group to finish runner-up, finishing 1:42 short.
Vos missed the chance to become the race’s record overall winner, with the 2012 London Olympic champion tied for four wins with Italy’s Maria Canins.
Danish Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig completed the podium at the same time as Vos.
Poland’s Katarzyana Niewiadoma, Italy’s Soraya Paladin and Spain’s Mavi García also finished in the pursuit group, completing the top six.
The UCI Women’s WorldTour season is scheduled to continue in Belgium, with the Bruges – De Panne Three Days scheduled for March 25.
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