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The 2023 Il Lombardia will probably be held between Como and Bergamo on the same path to the 2021 version when Tadej Pogačar (UAE Workforce Emirates) received for the primary time, with the Slovenian anticipated to conflict with Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) and Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) within the Bergamo hills.
This yr’s ‘Race of the falling leaves’ will probably be held on Saturday, October 7 and keep in mind Bergamo’s biggest ever rider Felice Gimondi, who died in 2019.
It should additionally carry the curtain down on Thibaut Pinot’s profession, with the Frenchman anticipated to make an emotional farewell and maybe a ultimate present of panache within the end-of-season Italian Traditional. A whole bunch of the ‘Extremely Pinot’ followers are anticipated to journey to Italy for his ultimate main race. He received the 2018 Il Lombardia when it completed in Como.
The 238 km route once more features a sequence of laborious climbs within the Lombardy hills, with the climb as much as Bergamo Alto ending simply three kilometres from the end. The riders who emerge on the ultimate climbs will descend at velocity to Bergamo Basso, with the descent launching into the end straight on Viale Roma.
Il Lombardia begins in Como, overlooking the lake after which heads to Cantù and climbs as much as the Madonna del Ghisallo, earlier than passing the bicycle owner’s chapel and museum after simply 38 km.
The riders descend to Bellagio and switch in direction of Lecco after which Bergamo to climb the Roncola, Berbenno, the Passo della Crocetta, Zambla Alta after which the Passo di Ganda after 206 km of laborious racing. The descent consists of 19 hairpins and a flat experience to Bergamo earlier than the Colle Aperto climb as much as Bergamo Alto, with a 200-metre part of cobbled roads.
Pogačar attacked alone on the Passo di Ganda in 2021, shocking his main rivals. He was joined by native resident Fausto Masnada on the descent however then beat him within the dash in Bergamo. Adam Yates outsprinted Roglič, Alejandro Valverde, Julian Alaphilippe, David Gaudu, Romain Bardet and Michael Woods for third place after the disorganised chase group got here house 51 seconds down on Pogačar.
In the course of the official race presentation, Damiano Cunego, Il Lombardia winner in 2004, 2007 and 2008, tipped Pogačar to win once more and full a uncommon hat trick of victories solely beforehand achieved by Alfredo Binda and Fausto Coppi, who received 4 consecutive occasions between 1946 and 1949.
Vincenzo Nibali received Il Lombardia in 2015 and 2017 and ended his profession on the race in 2022. He picked Evenepoel as his favorite. The Belgian rode aggressively on the Vuelta a España however crashed out of the 2020 Il Lombardia and fractured his pelvis after dropping management of his bike on the descent of the Muro di Sormano.
25 groups of seven riders will tackle Il Lombardia, with the 18 WorldTour groups joined by Eolo-Kometa, Inexperienced Challenge-Bardiani-CSF-Faizane, Israel-Premier Tech, Lotto Dstny, Q36.5, TotalEnergies and Tudor Professional Biking.
“We now have designed a troublesome and selective route, with over 4400 metres of altitude acquire, fairly just like the 2021 version through which Tadej Pogačar received for the primary time,” race director Mauro Vegni mentioned when the route was introduced in Milan on Tuesday.
“He will probably be one of many stars on the race and he will probably be seeking to make it a hat-trick however that will probably be made troublesome by the presence of outstanding rivals equivalent to Giro d’Italia winner Primož Roglič and former World Champion Remco Evenepoel.
“We’re additionally happy that a fantastic champion and former winner of the race like Thibaut Pinot has chosen Il Lombardia to say goodbye to the followers.”
Cyclingnews could have full reside protection of Il Lombardia, with particular information, options and interviews earlier than and after the final huge race of the 2023 males’s season.
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