Among the riders who took part to the race there were the 2006 and 2010 Giro d'Italia winner Ivan Basso, the 2011 Milano-Sanremo winner Matthew Goss, the Italian Road Race Champion Giovanni Visconti, the 2000 Giro d'Italia winner Stefano Garzelli, and the classic specialist Davide Rebellin.

[2] The race was won by Liquigas–Cannondale rider Ivan Basso,[3] who claimed the leader's green jersey after winning the fourth stage.

[5][6] The idea of organising the race was announced by Lega Nord's leader Umberto Bossi in September 2010 [7] and, according to the protesters, the race itself was full of references to the Padanian nationalism, such as the choice of green colour for the leader's jersey.

[8] Moreover, the race is organized by the society Monviso-Venezia, whose president, Michelino Davico, is a Lega Nord's senator.

[9][10] During second stage, in Savona, Ivan Basso and Sacha Modolo had been slapped and insulted by protesters.