Evenepoel, Fuglsang and Van der Poel set to battle at Lombardia

Gruelling day in the saddle, covering six categorised climbs including the dreaded Muro di Sormano!

Il Lombardia (aka the Tour of Lombardy) is  the final Monument of the five in the cycling season and is traditionally the last major outing for the peloton before off-season.

But, this year it is the second of the five monuments, due to the new post-lockdown calendar.

The race will take place this Saturday August 15th from Bergamo to Como.

Starting from Bergamo it’s a 231km course with Colle Gallo, Colle Brianza, Madonna del Ghisallo, Sormano, Civiglio and San Fermo della Battaglia in the final, before the classic arrival on the Como lakefront.

There is a small change for the 114th edition of Il Lombardia as it will be 12km shorter than previously announced.

However  change does not alter the distinctive features of Il Lombardia, with the start from Bergamo and classic arrival on the Como lakefront, and the Colle Gallo, Colle Brianza, Madonna del Ghisallo, Sormano, Civiglio and San Fermo della Battaglia to climb along the route, totaling 231km.

After departing Bergamo in a southerly direction, the route crosses the Bergamo plain in its first 40km to head up the Cavallina valley to Casazza where the Colle Gallo – the first ascent of the race – is tackled. Colle is followed by a fast descent returning from the Seriana valley to Bergamo, then the route re-enters lowland roads that lead to Brianza. There’s a short passage to Colle Brianza and a descent to Oggiono, then the route passes through Pusiano, Canzo, Asso and down the descent to Onno and on to Bellagio. This is where the Ghisallo ascent – with gradients of up to 14% on wide roads with hairpin bends – begins.

The following very fast descent is on long straights and ends at Maglio where, immediately after a right turn, the climb of the Colma di Sormano begins. After a few kilometers of medium slopes, and a few hundred meters after Sormano, the route heads up the Muro di Sormano on a narrow, very steep road – 2km long with a gradient up to 15%. It’s partly inside a small wood, with very narrow bends and slopes that, for around 1km, exceed 25% up to almost 30%.

Once past the Colma, the route follows the descent to Nesso, where the riders then take the coastal road to reach Como. Next they face the hard climb to Civiglio (614m) with slopes almost always around 10% – and with a marked narrowing of the roadway at the top of the climb – before going back down and through Como to hit the last climb of San Fermo della Battaglia (397m). There is one feed zone, at km 128-131.

The last 10km start inside the area of Como on wide avenues, up to the railway underpass where the final ascent of San Fermo della Battaglia begins. The slope is around 7% (max 10%). The route passes several hairpin bends up to the brow at around 5km from the finish. The descent, on a wide, well-paved road ends at the last kilometre.

The Favorites

Remco Evenepoel (Deceuninck-Quickstep)

The 20-year-old as the out-and-out race favourite for Il Lombardia and among the bookies and experts, the Deceuninck-QuickStep rider is the man to beat.

His form is scintillating after wins in the overall at the Vuelta a Burgos and Tour of Poland in back-to-back weeks as well both races' Queen stages. His confidence is also high, which will be an asset on such a brutal course.

Jakob Fuglsang (Astana)

The one who almost matched Remco out in Poland was Jakob Fuglsang, a man who rolls well on single-day races due to his fortitude for attacking riding. In fact, he is defending champion of Liege-Bastogne-Liege, a race he won solo after a daring bid for victory quite far from the line.

The arduous nature of the course certainly suits the 35-year-old and with a team of in-form riders around him, Alexander Vlasox and Alex Aranburu to name two, he seems like a solid tip.

George Bennett (Jumbo-Visma)

The best cycling team in the world right now are Jumbo-Visma, they cannot stop winning. One of those in a rich vein of form is Kiwi George Bennett.

He took Gran Piedmonte in the week, only his second career victory, and is climbing better than almost anyone at the moment. Do not be surprised if he goes well come Saturday.

Vincenzo Nibali (Trek-Segafredo)

Never count out Vincenzo Nibali, a real racer, he can make something from nothing regardless of form or expectation. Twice a winner of Lombardia, he knows these roads better than anyone and can descend them like no one else.

His form is somewhat so-so, however he been there or thereabouts in some the Italian Classics, notably finishing in the front group of Milan-San Remo.

Ultimately, if Nibali was to make a hat trick of Lombardia victories this weekend, would we really be that shocked?