Race Preview: The 2023 season is coming to an finish, and as at all times the ultimate large occasion is Il Lombardia. The ultimate Traditional of the season is a race stuffed with heroism and romance as solely an Italian race may be. Tadej Pogačar gained the previous two editions and is again for a three-in-a-row, nevertheless it wont be simple. Right here is the route and favourites for Saturday.
Il Lombardia’23 promo
Il Lombardia 2023 begins in Como, the place the end was in 2022. This yr’s route is similar as two years in the past, so the treacherous Muro di Sormano won’t be climbed and the Civiglio and San Fermo della Battaglia will even be missed. The Madonna del Ghisallo is on this yr’s route, however is just too early within the race and gained’t be decisive.
Lombardia’23 map
Beforehand the race would go through Bellagio to the Madonna del Ghisallo, however not this yr. After the Ghisallo, the route follows Lake Como after which Lake Garlate. The race then turns north in Almenno San Bartolomeo and heads in direction of a number of powerful climbs. The primary, to Roncola, is 9.4 kilometres at 6.6%.
Il Lombardia’23 route
After a primary kilometre at 3%, there’s a center part of about 5 kilometres at 8%, with a a steep ramp of 17%. The highway then flattens out in direction of the summit. The highway to Berbenno climbs at slightly below 5% for about 7 kilometres, you can say the riders might relaxation between the Roncola and Dossena climbs. After the descent of the Berbenno climb, the race follows the valley of the Brembo upstream to San Pellegrino Terme. Subsequent on the menu is the longest climb of the day; the Zambla Alta.
The Zambla Alta
The Colle di Zambla is 24 kilometres lengthy. The primary part to the village of Dossena, the Passo della Crocetta is 11 kilometres lengthy at 6%. After Dossenna there’s a quick descent then one other part of over 7% and an virtually flat part of about 5 kilometres.
Il Lombardia’23 profile
The final 2.5 kilometres of the Colle di Zambla are powerful because the highway rises at 7%. From the highest of the Zambla, there are nonetheless 65 kilometres to go to the end. After a quick descent to the Serio valley, the race hits the toughest climb of Il Lombardia’23. At 9.2 kilometres, the Passo di Ganda isn’t the longest, nevertheless it has a mean of seven.3%, with sections of as much as 15% within the final kilometres. After the descent, the race might have gone straight to the end on Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII in Bergamo, however the race makes a loop across the metropolis.
The Passo di Ganda
The circuit passes via the Città Alta, with a closing climb of about 5 kilometres from the end. The Colle Aperto is 1.6 kilometres at 8%, with a most ramp of 12%, partly on cobbles. In 2016, Esteban Chaves attacked on the Colle Aperto and dropped Romain Bardet. The Colombian gained the dash, beating Diego Rosa and Rigoberto Urán. That yr the Tour of Lombardy didn’t end on the Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII, however on a road subsequent to it. The brand new end on the Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII is reached after a 3 kilometres descent. 238 kilometres of powerful Lombardy roads.
The perfect of Il Lombardia’22
Who’s going to win?
This yr’s Il Lombardia has a high start-list with the highest three males of the second: Tadej Pogačar, Primoz Roglič and Remco Evenepoel. Lombardy is at all times a battle, the final Monument of the season is the one to be remembered via the winter.
Roglič regarded good in Emilia
Within the Giro dell’Emilia, Primoz Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) gained final week’s Giro dell’Emilia, however in Tre Valli Varesine, Roglič and Tadej Pogačar completed collectively behind Ilan Van Wilder. Does this make Roglič the highest favorite? Perhaps, as Pogačar didn’t have a look at 100% in Emilia, however the UAE Workforce Emirates chief doesn’t begin a race to complete second and can be searching for a three-in-a-row Lombardia.
Roglič and Pogačar completed collectively in Varesine
Roglič has ‘solely’ completed 4th in Lombardia and we all know the Autumn race fits Tadej Pogačar (UAE Workforce Emirates). The 25-year-old rider was the strongest final yr after a closing over the Civiglio and San Fermo della Battaglia and in 2021, on the identical course as this yr, with the Passo di Gandia and the Colle Aperto in Bergamo, Pogačar was additionally the victor.
2021 winner – Tadej Pogačar
Pogačar should begin on Saturday with confidence, however could have two large opponents. This can be Roglic’s final race for Jumbo-Visma, the staff he has been with from the start, the staff that has given him all the pieces, and he has thanked them with many large wins. His win within the Giro dell’Emilia final week exhibits he has the shape, however one other farewell victory could be good for the Slovenian and the quickly merging Jumbo-Visma staff.
2022 winner – Tadej Pogačar
The Jumbo-Visma staff could be very sturdy and contains Attila Valter, Tiesj Benoot and Wilco Kelderman. However, UAE Workforce Emirates is full of high quality: Marc Hirschi, Davide Formolo, Jay Vine, Rafal Majka, Diego Ulissi and there’s Adam Yates (UAE Workforce Emirates), who might additionally win.
Adam Yates – UAE No.2
The third high man is Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Fast-Step). The 23 year-old Belgian has not raced for the reason that Vuelta a España, however he won’t be there for the enjoyable of it. Evenepoel has some historical past to right in Lombardy, the damaged pelvis from the crash on the descent of the Muro di Sormano in 2020, should be an additional impetus for the Belgian champion.
That crash
Evenepoel’s important downside may very well be the merger of his Soudal Fast-Step staff and all of the speak of him going to INEOS Grenadiers, or not. This might take its toll, but in addition might his season of ups and downs; from his wins in Liège, San Sebastiàn and the World and Belgian championships and his disappointments within the Giro and the Vuelta. Evenepoel is a winner and desires extra.
Evenepoel needs to be one of many high three favourites
Simon Yates (Jayco AlUla) has been in wonderful kind lately and will win Il Lombardia. The British rider was third behind the 2 Slovenians within the Giro dell’Emilia final week. Aleksandr Vlasov (BORA-hansgrohe) was sixth in Emilia and in addition third in Tre Valli Varesine. He has what it takes, however he’s up in opposition to sturdy opposition on Saturday.
Simon Yates, like his brother, has what it takes to win in Lombardy
Enric Mas (Movistar), Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech) and Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) have been all within the high 10 within the Giro dell’Emilia and they’ll all be on the entrance on Saturday. Mas was out-sprinted by Pogačar in final yr’s Il Lombardia. Woods was fifth in 2019 and Ciccone was additionally fifth in 2020. The Italian may nonetheless be affected by a crash in Tre Valli Varesine on Tuesday. *** Giulio Ciccone won’t trip Il Lombardia because of his crash in Varesine. ***
Ciccone can be up there if he of 100%
Richard Carapaz (EF Training-EasyPost) was seventh in Emilia and was in a position to reply to Pogacar’s assault within the closing. The Ecuadorian then adopted that up with 2nd in Tre Valli Varesine. The South American, collectively along with his EF Training-EasyPost teammate Ben Healy EF Training-EasyPost), might kind a really harmful duo, though the Irishman didn’t end the Tre Valli Varesine and we haven’t seen him since he completed third total within the Tour of Luxembourg final month.
We noticed that Carapaz has the shape
Teammate of Healy and Carapaz, Rigoberto Urán (EF Training-EasyPost), has been on the rostrum 3 times within the Tour of Lombardy, possibly not a winner, however he might shake issues up. The Frenchman, Romain Bardet (dsm-firmenich) was 4th in 2016 and has completed within the high 10 just a few instances is one other protagonist. Lenny Martinez (Groupana-FDJ) was fairly the revelation of the Vuelta a España. He completed each theGiro dell’Emilia and Tre Valli Varesine, however with out troubling the highest 20. Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ) might additionally shock. Julian Alaphilippe (Soudal Fast-Step) and Tre Valli Varesine winner, Ilan Van Wilder (Soudal Fast-Step) can be there to assist Evenepoel, however do they each have to impress different groups for a contract subsequent yr?
Van Wilder gained effectively Varesine
Dylan Teuns (Israel-Premier Tech) was third in 2018, Jakob Fuglsang (Israel-Premier Tech) was the winner in 2020 and Domenico Pozzovivo (Israel-Premier Tech) make up a robust Israeli staff with Woods. Pavel Sivakov (INEOS Grenadiers) and Carlos Rodríguez (INEOS Grenadiers) can be in Lombardia for the British staff, however they haven’t any clear chief. Others to control are Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto Dstny), Andreas Kron (Lotto Dstny), Lorenzo Fortunato (EOLO-Kometa), Filippo Zana (Jayco AlUla) and Warren Barguil (Arkéa-Samsic).
It has solely been three years since Jakob Fuglsang gained in Como
Former winner Bauke Mollema (Lidl-Trek) can’t be ignored, identical goes for Guillaume Martin & Victor Lafay (each Cofidis), Simone Velasco (Astana Qazaqstan), Ben O’Connor & Felix Gall (each AG2R Citroën) and Sergio Higuita (BORA-hansgrohe). Bahrain Victorious has a possible tremendous duo with Third final yr, Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious) can be backed up by Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious). Then after all there’s Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ), the 2028 winner will retire after Il Lombardia, might he exit with a bang?
A farewell win for Thibaut?
The PEZ high Favorite is Tadej Pogačar, adopted very carefully by Primoz Roglič and Remco Evenepoel. Of the others: Richard Carapaz, Adam Yates and Simon Yates can be subsequent in line and Enric Mas, Aleksandr Vlasov, Michael Woods, Ben Healy
The third Il Lombardia win in a row for Tadej Pogačar
# Keep PEZ for Il Lombardia race report on Saturday. #
Because of PCS and WielerFlits for the details and figures.
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