Roglic and Pogacar favorites for Il Lombardia

The 117th edition of the Tour of Lombardy will be held on Saturday 7 October. Top competitors this year are are Primož Roglic, Bauke Mollema and Tadej Pogacar

The fifth of cycling’s five Monuments is the last illustrious European race of the season. Given the time of year, Il Lombardia has been nicknamed the Race of the Falling Leaves. This year’s route travels from Como to Bergamo, adds up to 238 kilometres, and takes in an elevation gain of over 4,400 metres.

Tadej Pogacar is title holder. Last year, he won the race for the second consecutice year. The Slovene outsprinted his fellow-attacker Enric Mas, while Mikel Landa finished in third.

Top competitors this year are are Primož Roglic, Bauke Mollema and Tadej Pogacar.

The 25 teams that will participate in “The Race of the Falling Leaves” will be met with a succession of climbs that have made the history of this race such as Madonna del Ghisallo, Roncola, Berbenno, Passo della Crocetta, Zambla Alta, and Passo di Ganda before Colle Aperto, the last effort towards the finish in Bergamo.

The Gran Fondo Il Lombardia will be back the day after the pro race on Sunday October 8th, 109.4 km and 1,700 m of elevation gain, from Cantù to Cantù, on a route that includes the Muro di Sormano and the Madonna del Ghisallo as well as a mix of climbs, descents and ups and downs that guarantee constant fun for all granfondisti.

2023 Route

Starting in Como, and heading for Cantù, the route takes in the Ghisallo (coming from Asso), descends into Bellagio and reaches Lecco, running along the lakeshore. After entering the province of Bergamo, the route takes in a succession of climbs and descents, with nearly no flat stretches inbetween, leading all the way to the finish. After negotiating the Roncola (Valico di Valpiana, with gradients reaching 17%), the riders will be tackling Berbenno, Dossena, Zambla Alta and Passo di Ganda, with a comprehensive altitude gain of over 4,400 m. Past Ganda, the route arrives in Selvino where it takes a long descent comprising 19 hairpins. The following 9 kilometres (the only flat stretch of the race finale) serve as an approach to the city. The route then passes through Città Alta, heading for the finish.

Final kilometres

In the final kilometres, the route runs across the upper city (Bergamo Alta), climbing up to reach Porta Garibaldi and then Largo Aperto (covering 200 metres on pebble paving). In the first part, gradients never fall below 10% (with a maximum of 12%). Along the descent, the roadway is wide and the surface is smooth. With 1,800 m to the finish, a sharp bend and a short stretch of narrowed roadway lead through Porta Sant’Agostino. The road takes a wide bend to the left after the flamme rouge, leading to the finish line. The home stretch (800 m long, on 7.5 m wide asphalt road) runs initially downwards and levels out afterwards.