Piedra took a prestigious victory by winning the Rogaland GP in May 2012, soloing away to win by 35 seconds over his nearest challenger.
He participated in the 2012 Vuelta a España, his team being invited as a 'wildcard', and had a major victory on stage 15, a high mountain affair finishing atop the Lakes of Covadonga climb.
Piedra followed a move that formed on the first climb of the day, and dropped his breakaway companions on the final difficulty of the race, the first "Hors Category" climb of the Vuelta.