Always the grand finale for the cycling season, with Fausto Coppi unreachable for decades as a record holder with five victories, the Giro di Lombardia today promises emotions and spectacular scenography on a day that only has an autumn calendar: the classical-monument of dead leaves it will enjoy beautiful sunshine which will make the daring descents foreseen by the route a little less risky, in particular those on Nesso, after the soaring wall of Sormano, and Civiglio a few kilometers from the finish line in Como. Dedicated to Felice Gimondi, Lombardy, which leaves Bergamo this morning, is more open than ever due to the presence of so many big names, all capable of doing the business. For the bookmakers, the first of the favorites is Primoz Roglic, who in this part of the season after his triumph in the Vuelta has achieved success in the Giro dell'Emilia and in the Tre Valli Varesine.
Quoted at 4,50, the Slovenian precedes Alejandro Valverde by three lengths, the former world champion who, after so many placings, is looking for a victory that can redeem an overall disappointing year for a winner like him. Immediately after this pair of 9 are given Jacob Fuglsang and Michael Woods, always protagonists during the season but few times winners. Followed by – listed 12 – Vincenzo Nibali and Egan Bernal. Nibali is with Philippe Gilbert – given at 25 – the only competitor in the startlist who has already won Lombardia twice. Lo Squalo arrives at the classic-monument he loves most with a state of not the best form but the ramps of Civiglio and San Fermo, always decisive in the final, exalt him and the feat is always expected from him, even close to the year last finishing behind Thibaut Pinot, with Julien Alaphilippe the great absentee in today's race.
Also to be followed is the race that Bernal will do, the young Colombian, king of the Tour in July, splendid winner of the Gran Piemonte on Thursday with the solitary arrival at the top of the Oropa Sanctuary: a goal for doc climbers, who knows of the legend of Pantani who in 1999 managed to triumph after a chain jump that had put him on foot, remounting 49 riders, with Laurent Jalabert, who was in the lead watching the Pirate in amazement and admiration. Bernal was then only two years old but coincidentally he was born on January 13, the same day as Pantani.
