Giovanni Malerba organised the first competition in 1933 as a reaction to a competition in a neighbouring village which revolved around seven clock towers.[1] The competition has been held every year since its inception, including throughout the Second World War and in 1939 when the Federazione Italiana di Atletica Leggera (FIDAL) ordered that all cross country competitions be postponed.[3] The course was altered from 10 km to 12 in the late 1930s, in order to accommodate all five mills.[1] The race began to grow after being selected as the course for the Italian Cross Country Championship in 1946 and 1949. The competition became an international one in 1952 and Tunisian runner Ahmed Labidi became the first foreign winner two years later. By the early 1960s, Olympic silver medallist Franjo Mihalić had brought the race to new heights, taking three victories over five editions.[3]
A junior race was introduced in 1960,[3] the first international women's race was held in 1971, and student races were added to the program in the late 1970s. Olympic and World champions graced the course at every edition in the 1970s. By the mid-eighties, East African runners had established themselves, frequently reaching the podium in the senior races. It was part of the IAAF World Cross Challenge the following decade, remaining at the forefront of European cross country running. The course was significantly changed throughout the 2000s,[3] only the Cozzi and Meraviglia mills remained as part of the course and gradually only the semi-functioning Meraviglia was included.[1]
Both former champion David Bedford and meet organiser Vito Garofalo stressed that the competition's longevity is due to, in part, the support the race receives from the local community.[1] The race was elected to serve as the Italian national cross country championships in 1996; Gennaro Di Napoli and Patrizia Di Napoli took the honours.[4]
The event hosted the European Cross Country Club Championships alongside the traditional race in 2011; Portuguese club Grupo Desportivo e Recreativo Conforlimpa won the men's team title while the women's title went to Turkey's Üsküdar Belediyesi Spor Kulübü.[5]
