(PRIMASPORT) BERGAMO – The 120th edition of Il Lombardia will start Saturday, October 10th from Bergamo and will end in Como After 239 kilometers e 4,600 meters of altitude difference. The presentation of the teams, on the eve of the race, represents one of the novelties of the 120th edition of the Dead Leaves Classic. The hunt is on to succeed Tadej Pogacar, who, after five consecutive victories, was knocked out by a crash at the recent Vuelta a España. World champion Brandon McNulty, his teammate Isaac Del Toro, European champion Remco Evenepoel, MTB world champion Tom Pidcock, World champion runner-up Michael Matthews, European champion runner-up Giulio Ciccone, and the talented Paul Seixas are among the most anticipated riders. The one who has done best in the recent past is Remco Evenepoel, two-time runner-up and new European champion, captain of a very ambitious Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe team with Primoz Roglic as second striker. Possible outsiders include Michael Storer and Quinn Simmons, third and fourth respectively in the last edition, American Matteo Jorgenson, and Italians Christian Scaroni, Davide Piganzoli, and Giulio Pellizzari. Also starting is Bauke Mollema, winner in 2019 and racing for the last time.
Departing from Bergamo, the route heads toward the Seriana Valley for a short flat stretch before tackling a series of climbs in the Alpine foothills surrounding Bergamo. The climb includes the Colle dei Pasta (Bocche di Gavarno as the summit) and the Selvino climb with its series of hairpin bends, the Colle di Berbenno, and Valpiana, which concludes the first series of climbs. The route traverses a stretch of the upper Brianza region, tackling the "Giovenzana" side of Colle Brianza before rapidly descending to Lecco. The route enters the Lake Como area, which is ascended from Lecco to reach Bellagio, where the classic Ghisallo climb begins. The climb, with gradients up to 14%, takes place on a wide road with several hairpin bends. The very fast descent follows long straights, ending in Maglio, before continuing on a gentle downhill path to Como, where the race will complete a 22km final circuit. The route passes through the town of Como, tackling San Fermo della Battaglia (397 m) for the first time, descending into Como and crossing the finish line. About a kilometer later, the route tackles the steep climb to Civiglio (614 m), with gradients virtually always around 10%, before descending again and crossing Como again, tackling the San Fermo della Battaglia climb for the second time. The final 10 km, starting within the town of Como, follow wide avenues to the railway underpass where the final climb to San Fermo della Battaglia begins. The gradient is around 7% (max 10%) with a narrow carriageway and rough road surface. Several hairpin bends are negotiated until the crest of the hill, which occurs around 5 km from the finish. The descent on a wide, well-paved road passes two well-lit tunnels and two large roundabouts, ending at the final kilometer.
On the eve of the race, RCS Sports & Events announced that Como will continue to be a protagonist of Il Lombardia presented by Crédit Agricole in 2027, 2028 and 2029. (PRIMASPORT)
