Il Lombardia, previously Lombardy TourThis was discussed on Saturday (by eurosportArrival is expected at 17:00, marking the conclusion of the European cycling campaign. And he does this with the best riders in the peloton, especially in the duel between them. Tadej Pogacar, the winner of the last two races of the race and Remco EvenepoelNot visible in Liège-Bastogne-Liège due to Slovenian cyclist’s fall. This will be the last test Primoz Roglic He will compete in the Jumbo jersey.

Why do they call this the classic Dead Leaves?

Lombardy has announced that in terms of cycling, autumn comes before the scourge of climate change. The leaves of the trees falling on the asphalt represented the beginning of a new season. This is what they call it in Italian ‘Classica delle Foglie Morte’. This year we are facing 238 kilometers. It is part of the five great cycling classics. The other four: Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, all take place in the spring. It is the third oldest one-day race on the cycling calendar. It was first operated in 1905.

Why is it so difficult for the Spanish to win?

Traditionally, Spanish riders have already removed their special cables when cycling in October. Although Miquel Poblet, Marino Lejarreta, Samuel Sánchez, Alejandro Valverde and Enric Mas battled for the podium last year as proof, only Purito Rodríguez achieved victory twice, the best of his professional career, in 2012 and 2013. Mas repeats his participation in Il Lombardia, as does Mikel Landa, who finished third in 2022.

Why is there such a large turnout this year?

Because for the first time a cycling event crosses the same path with Tadej Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic, as autumns and different calendars prevented the three cyclists from meeting in the same race in 2023. Besides these, the international entry is supported by Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz (the relegation of the Tour prevented him from qualifying for the Vuelta), Adam and Simon Yates, Julian Alaphilippe and brothers Carlos Rodríguez.

Why are climbers successful?

Unlike what happens in other major classics except Liège, the climbs line the path of Lombardy, thus opening up victory options for cyclists who are considered climbers rather than skaters. The Poggio on the Milan-San Remo route is not challenging enough to eliminate cyclists who have a hard time with the mountain, and there are cobblestones that mark the route to Flanders and Roubaix. In Liège, the hills and slopes often provide a good escape from miles away, especially on the famous Redoute climb, but an Evenepoel can always seem to reach the finish line alone. That is why the winners on the Lombardy list include names such as Charly Mottet, Tony Rominger, Damiano Cunego, Purito Rodríguez, Vincenzo Nibali (who also won in San Remo) and Thibaut Pinot.